,,the ,,idler ,,in ,,france ,by ,,marguerite ,,gardiner1 ,,the ,,countess ,,of ,,blessington #ahda4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,nismes4 ,i have omitted to notice the route to this place1 having formerly described the greater portion of it4 ,i remarked a considerable improvement in the different towns we passed through3 the people look cleaner1 and an air of business has replaced the stagnation that used to prevail1 except in ,marseilles and ,toulon1 which were always busy cities4 ,nismes surpasses my expectations1 although they had been greatly excited1 and amply repays the long dtour we have made to visit it4 ,when ,i look round on the objects of antiquity that meet my eye on every side1 and above all on the ,amphitheatre and ,maison ,carre1 ,i am forced to admit that ,italy has nothing to equal the two last3 for if the ,coliseum may be said to surpass the amphitheatre in dimensions1 the wonderful state of preservation of the latter renders it more interesting2 and the ,maison ,carre1 it must be allowed1 stands without a competitor4 ,well might the ,abb ,barthlemy1 in his ,voyage d',anacharsis1 call it the masterpiece of ancient architecture and the despair of modern6 ,the antiquities of ,nismes have another advantage over those of ,italy3 they are kept wholly free from the disgusting entourage that impairs the effect of the latter2 and in examining them in the interior or exterior1 no risk is incurred of encountering aught offensive to the olfactory nerves1 or injurious to the chaussure4 ,we devoted last evening to walking round the town1 and so cloudless was the sky1 so genial the air1 and so striking the monuments of ,roman splendour1 that ,i could have fancied myself again transported to ,italy4 ,our inn1 the ,htel du ,midi1 is an excellent one2 the apartments good1 and the cuisine soigne4 ,in this latter point the ,french htels are far superior to the ,italian2 but in civility and attention1 the hosts of ,italy have the advantage4 ,we had no sooner dined than half-a-dozen persons1 laden with silk handkerchiefs and ribands1 brocaded with gold and silver1 and silk stockings1 and crapes1 all the manufacture of ,nismes1 came to display their merchandise4 ,the specimens were good1 and the prices moderate2 so we bought some of each1 much to the satisfaction of the parties selling1 and also of the host1 who seemed to take a more than common interest in the sale1 whether wholly from patriotic feelings or not1 ,i will not pretend to say4 ,the ,maison ,carre1 of all the buildings of antiquity ,i have yet seen1 is the one which has most successfully resisted the numerous assaults of time1 weather1 ,vandalism1 and the not less barbarous attacks of those into whose merciless hands it has afterwards fallen4 ,in the early part of the ,christian ages it was converted into a church1 and dedicated to ,st4-tienne the ,martyr2 and in the eleventh century it was used as the ,htel-de-,ville4 ,it was then given to a certain ,pierre ,boys1 in exchange for a piece of ground to erect a new htel-de-ville2 and he1 after having degraded it by using a portion of it as a party-wall to a mean dwelling he erected adjoining it1 disposed of it to a 99,sieur ,bruyes1 who1 still more barbarous than ,pierre ,boys1 converted it into a stable4 ,in #afgj1 it was purchased by the ,augustin monks from the descendants of ,bruyes1 and once more used as a church2 and1 in #aghi1 it was taken from the ,augustin monks for the purposes of the administration of the department4 ,from that period1 every thing has been done for its preservation4 ,cleared from the mean houses which had been built around it1 and enclosed by an iron palisade1 which protects it from mischievous hands1 it now stands isolated in the centre of a square1 or place1 where it can be seen at every side4 ,poldo d',albenas1 a quaint old writer1 whose book ,i glanced over to-day1 attributes the preservation of the ,maison ,carre to the fortunate horoscope of the spot on which it stands4 ,his lamentations for the insults offered to this building are really passionate4 ,the ,maison ,carre is not square1 though its denomination might lead one to suppose it to be so1 being nearly eighty feet long1 and only thirty-eight feet wide4 ,elevated on a base of cut stone1 it is ascended by a flight of steps1 which extends the length of the base in front4 ,the walls of the building are of a fine white stone1 and are admirably constructed4 ,the edifice has thirty fluted columns1 with ,corinthian capitals beautifully sculptured1 on which rests the architrave1 with frieze and cornice4 ,this last is ornamented with sculpture2 and the frieze1 with foliage finely executed4 ,the entrance is by a portico1 open on three sides1 and supported by two columns1 included in the thirty already named1 of which six form the front1 and extend to the fourth1 when commences the wall of the building1 in which the other columns are half imbedded1 being united in the building with its architrave4 ,the fronton1 which is over the portico1 has no ornament in the centre2 neither has the frieze nor architrave3 but some holes mark where the bronze letters of an inscription were once inserted4 ,this inscription has been conjectured1 by the ingenious mode of placing on paper the exact dimensions of the holes which formerly contained the letters of it1 and is now said to be as follows3-- ,c4 ,c,,sari ,,augusti4 ,f4 ,,cos4 ,l4 ,c,,sari ,,augusti ,f4 ,,cos4 ,,designato ,,principibus ,,juventutes4 ,but as more holes are found than would be filled by these letters1 the conclusion does not seem to me to be justified4 ,at the far end of the portico is the door of entrance1 the only opening by which light is admitted to the building4 ,it is very lofty1 and on each side is a pilaster2 beneath the cornice are two long cut stones1 which advance like a kind of architrave1 pierced by a square hole of above twelve inches1 supposed to have been intended to support a bronze door4 ,the original destination of this beautiful edifice still furnishes a subject for discussion among the antiquaries2 some asserting it to have been erected by the ,emperor ,adrian in honour of ,plotina1 while others maintain it to have been a forum4 ,at present1 it is used as a museum for the antiquities discovered at ,nismes1 and contains some admirable specimens4 ,among these are a torso in marble of a ,roman knight1 in a cuirass1 and another colossal torso1 with a charming little draped statue seated in a curule chair1 and holding a cornucopia in the left hand2 a cinerary monument1 enriched with bassi-relievi1 representing a human sacrifice2 a bronze head of ,apollo1 much injured2 and a ,janus4 ,a funereal monument found in the neighbourhood of ,nismes in #ahbd1 offers a very interesting object1 being in a good state of preservation4 ,it is richly decorated1 and by the inscription is proved to have been that of ,marcus ,attius1 aged twenty-five years1 erected to him by his mother ,coelia1 daughter of ,sextus ,paternus4 ,so fine is the proportion1 so exquisite is the finish1 and so wonderful is the preservation of the ,maison ,carre1 that ,i confess ,i had much more pleasure in contemplating its exterior1 than in examining all that it contains1 though many of these objects are well worth inspection4 ,i should like to have a small model of it executed in silver1 as an ornament for the centre of a table2 but it would require the hand of a master to do justice to the olive leaves of the capitals of the columns2 that is1 if they were faithfully copied from the original4 ,it was1 if ,i remember rightly1 ,cardinal ,alberoni who observed that this beautiful building ought to be preserved in a golden tui1 and its compactness and exquisite finish prove that the implied eulogium was not unmerited4 ,i have nowhere else noticed the introduction of olive leaves in ,corinthian capitals instead of those of the acanthus2 the effect of which is very good4 ,a design was once formed of removing the ,maison ,carre to ,versailles4 ,colbert was the originator of this barbarous project1 which1 however1 was fortunately abandoned from the fear of impairing1 if not destroying1 the beauty of the building4 ,the ,emperor ,napoleon is said to have entertained a similar notion1 and meant to grace ,paris with this model of architectural perfection2 but it was found to be too solidly built to admit of removal1 and he who could shake empires1 could not stir the ,maison ,carre4 ,the transportation of antiquities from their original site can never be excused1 except in cases where it was the only means of insuring their preservation4 ,all the power of association is lost when they are transferred to other places2 and the view of them ceases to afford that satisfaction experienced when beheld where they were primarily destined to stand4 ,i can no more fancy the ,maison ,carre appropriately placed in the bustle and gaiety of ,paris1 than ,i could endure to see one of the temples at ,pstum stuck down at ,charing ,cross4 ,one loves1 when contemplating such precious memorials of antiquity1 to look around on the objects in nature1 still wearing the same aspect as when they were reared4 ,the hills and mountains1 unlike the productions of man1 change not2 and nowhere can the fragments of a bygone age appear to such advantage as on the spots selected for their erection1 where their vicinity to peculiar scenery had been taken into consideration4 ,we spent a considerable time in examining the ,amphitheatre1 and so well is it preserved1 that one can hardly bring one's self to believe that so many centuries have elapsed since it was built2 and that generation after generation has passed away1 who have looked on this edifice which now meets my view1 so little changed by the ravages of that ruthless conqueror ,time1 or the still more ruthless ,visigoths who converted it into a citadel1 flanking the eastern door with two towers4 ,in #gcg ,charles ,martel besieged the ,saracens1 and set fire to it1 and after their expulsion it continued to be used as a citadel4 ,the form of this fine building is elliptical1 and some notion of its vast extent may be formed1 when it is stated to have been capable of containing above #ag1jjj spectators4 ,its faade consists of two rows of porticoes1 forming two galleries one over the other1 composing sixty arcades1 divided by the same number of ,tuscan pilasters in the first range1 and of ,doric columns in the upper1 and an attic1 which crowns all4 ,four principal doors1 fronting the four cardinal points1 open into the amphitheatre1 divided at nearly equal distances one from the other4 ,the attic has no arcades1 pilasters1 or columns2 but a narrow ledge runs along it1 which was probably used for the purpose of approaching the projecting consoles1 #abj in number1 placed in couples at equal distances between two columns1 and pierced with a large hole1 which corresponds with a similar one in the cornice1 evidently meant for securing the awnings used to prevent the spectators from being inconvenienced by the rain or sun4 ,these awnings did not extend to the arena1 which was usually left open1 but were universally adopted in all the ,roman amphitheatres1 after their introduction by ,q4 ,catullus4 ,the vast extent and extraordinary commodiousness of the amphitheatres erected by the ,romans1 prove not only the love of the sports exhibited in them entertained by that people1 but the attention paid to their health and comfort by the architects who planned these buildings4 ,the numerous vomitories were not amongst the least important of these comforts1 securing a safe retreat from the theatre in all cases of emergency1 and precluding those fearful accidents that in our times have not infrequently occurred1 when an alarm of fire has been given4 ,the mode of arrangements1 too1 saved the spectators from all the deleterious results of impure air1 while the velarium preserved them from the sun4 ,but not only were the spectators screened from too fervid heat1 but they could retreat at pleasure1 in case of rain or storm1 into the galleries1 where they were sheltered from the rain4 ,our superior civilization and refinement have not led to an equal attention to safety and comfort in the mode of our ingress and egress from theatres1 or to their ventilation2 but perhaps this omission may be accounted for by the difference of our habits from those of the ,romans4 ,public amusements were deemed as essential to their comfort1 as the enjoyment of home is to ours2 and1 consequently1 while we prefer home--and long may we continue to do so--our theatres will not be either so vast or so commodious as in those times and countries1 where domestic happiness was so much less understood or provided for4 ,the erection of this magnificent edifice is attributed to ,vespasian1 ,titus1 or ,domitian1 from a fragment of an inscription discovered here some fourteen or fifteen years ago1 of which the following is a transcript3-- ,,vii4 ,,tri4 ,,po44444 ,and as only these three filled the consulate eight times since ,tiberius1 in whose age no amphitheatre had been built in the ,roman provinces1 to one of them is adjudged its elevation4 ,could ,i only remember one half the erudition poured forth on my addled brain by the cicerone1 ,i might fill several pages1 and fatigue others nearly as much as he fatigued me2 but ,i will have pity on my readers1 and spare them the elaborate details1 profound speculations1 ingenious hypotheses1 and archaiological lore that assailed me1 and wish them1 should they ever visit ,nismes1 that which was denied me--a tranquil and uninterrupted contemplation of its interesting antiquities1 free from the verbiage of a conscientious cicerone1 who thinks himself in duty bound to relate all that he has ever heard or read relative to the objects he points out4 ,even now my poor head rings with the names of ,caius and ,lucius ,csar1 ,tiberius1 ,trajan1 ,adrian1 ,diocletian1 and ,heaven only knows how many other ,roman worthies1 to whom ,nismes owes its attractions1 not one of whom did this learned ,theban omit to enumerate4 ,many of the antiquities of ,nismes1 which we went over to-day1 might well command attention1 were they not in the vicinity of two such remarkable and well-preserved monuments as the ,amphitheatre and ,maison ,carre4 ,the ,gate of ,augustus1 which now serves as the entrance to the barracks of the gendarmerie1 is worthy of inspection4 ,it consists of four arches--two of equal size1 for the admittance of chariots and horsemen1 and two less ones for pedestrians4 ,the centres of the two larger arches are decorated by the head of a bull1 in alto-relievo2 and above each of the smaller arches is a niche1 evidently meant for the reception of a statue4 ,a ,corinthian pilaster divides the larger arches from the less1 and a similar one terminates the building on each side2 while the two larger arches are separated by a small ,ionic column1 which rests on a projecting abutment whence the arches spring4 ,the ,gate of ,france has but one arch1 and is said to have been flanked by towers2 of which1 however1 it has little vestige4 ,the inhabitants of ,nismes seem very proud of its antiquities1 and even the humbler classes descant with much erudition on the subject4 ,most1 if not all of them1 have studied the guide-books1 and like to display the extent of their savoir on the subject4 ,they evince not a little jealousy if any preference seems accorded to the antiquities of ,italy over those of their town2 and ask1 with an air of triumph1 whether any thing in ,italy can be compared with their ,maison ,carre1 expressing their wonder that so few ,english come to look at it4 ,la ,tour-,magne stands on the highest of the hills1 at the base of which is spread the town4 ,it is precisely in the state most agreeable to antiquaries1 as its extreme dilapidation permits them to indulge those various conjectures and hypotheses relative to its original destination1 in which they delight4 ,they see in their mind's eye all these interesting works of antiquity1 not as they really are1 but as it pleases them to imagine they once were2 and1 consequently1 the less that actually remains on which to base their suppositions1 the wider field have they for their favourite speculations4 ,this tower is said by some to have been intended for a lighthouse2 others assert it to have been a treasury2 a third party declares it to be the remains of a palace2 and1 last of all1 it is assumed to have been a mausoleum4 ,its form1 judging from what remains1 must have been pyramidical1 composed of several stages1 forming octagons1 retreating one above the other4 ,it suffered much from ,charles ,martel in #gcg1 who wished to destroy it1 owing to its offering a strong military position to the ,saracens2 and still more from the ravages of a certain ,francis ,trancat1 to whom ,henry ,,iv granted permission to make excavations in the interior of it1 on condition that three parts of the product should be given up to the royal coffer4 ,the result did not repay the trouble or expense2 and one cannot help being rejoiced that it did not1 as probably1 had it been otherwise1 the success would have served as an incentive to destroy other buildings4 ,in the vicinity of the ,tour-,magne are the fountain1 terrace1 and garden1 the last of which is well planted1 and forms a very agreeable promenade for the inhabitants of ,nismes4 ,the fountain occupies the site of the ancient baths--many vestiges of which having been discovered have been employed for this useful1 but not tasteful1 work4 ,it was not until the middle of the eighteenth century1 that it was suspected that the water which served to turn a mill in the immediate vicinity had been obstructed by the ruins which impeded its course4 ,this obstruction led to excavations1 the result of which was the discovery of the remains of buildings1 columns1 statues1 inscriptions1 and fragments of rare marbles4 ,the obstructions being thus removed1 and the town enriched by the precious objects found1 the persons to whom the direction of the excavation was confided1 instead of vigorously pursuing the task1 were content with what they had already discovered1 and once more closed up the grave in which so many treasures of antiquity were still interred--using many of the materials disinterred for the formation of the terraces which now cover it4 ,the architect selected to execute this work was ,philip ,marchal1 an engineer1 never previously employed1 except in military architecture3 a fact to which may be attributed the peculiar style that he has exhibited--bastions and trenches being adopted1 instead of the usual and more appropriate forms generally used for terraces and canals4 ,to these are subjoined ornaments of the period in which the work was completed--the fitness of which is not more to ,,hbo commended than that of the work itself3 the whole offering a curious mixture of military and rococo taste4 ,it was in the freshness of early morning that ,i1 yesterday1 again visited the garden of the fountain and its fine chesnut trees and laurel roses2 the latter1 growing in great luxuriance1 looked beautiful1 the sun having not yet scorched them4 ,the fountain1 too1 in its natural bed1 which is not less than seventy-two ,french feet in diameter1 and twenty feet in depth1 was pellucid as crystal1 and through it the long leaves that nearly cover the gravel appeared green as emerald4 ,the hill above the fountain has been tastefully planted with evergreen trees1 which shade a delicious walk1 formed to its summit4 ,this improvement to the appearance1 as well as to the agrments1 of ,nismes1 is due to ,monsieur d',haussey#a1 prefect1 whose popularity is said to be deservedly acquired1 by his unremitting attention to the interests of the city1 and his urbanity to its inhabitants4 ,nismes is a gay town1 if ,i may judge by the groups of well-dressed women and men we have observed at the promenade4 ,it has a considerable garrison1 and the officers are occasionally seen passing and repassing2 but not1 as ,i have often remarked in ,england1 lazily lounging about as if anxious to kill time1 but moving briskly as if on business4 ,the various accomplishments acquired by young men in ,france offer a great resource in country quarters4 ,drawing1 in which most of them have attained a facility1 if not excellence1 enables them to fill albums with clever sketches2 and their love of the fine arts leads them to devote some hours in most days to their cultivation4 ,this is surely preferable to loitering in news-rooms1 sauntering in the shops of pretty milliners1 breaking down the fences of farmers1 or riding over young wheat--innocent pastimes1 sometimes undertaken by young officers for mere want of some occupation4 ,the ,temple of ,diana is in the vicinity of the fountain1 which has given rise to the conjecture that it originally constituted a portion of the ancient baths4 ,its shape is rectangular1 and a large opening in the centre forms the entrance4 ,twelve niches1 five of which open into the partition of the temple1 and two on the right and left of the entrance1 are crowned by frontons alternately circular and triangular1 and are said to have contained statues4 ,this is one of the most picturesque ruins ,i ever saw4 ,silence and solitude reign around it1 and wild fig-trees enwreath with their luxuriant foliage the opening made by ,time1 and half conceal the wounds inflicted by barbarian hands4 ,i could have spent hours in this desecrated temple1 pondering on the brevity of life1 as compared with its age4 ,there is something pure and calm in such a spot1 that influences the feelings of those who pause in it2 and by reminding them of the inevitable lot of all sublunary things1 renders the cares incidental to all who breathe1 less acutely felt for the time4 ,is not every ruin a history of the fate of generations1 which century after century has seen pass away8--generations of mortals like ourselves1 who have been moved by the same passions1 and vexed by the same griefs2 like us1 who were instinct with life and spirit1 yet whose very dust has disappeared4 ,nevertheless1 we can yield to the futile pleasures1 or to the petty ills of life1 as if their duration was to be of long extent1 unmindful that ages hence1 others will visit the objects we now behold1 and find them little changed1 while we shall have in our turn passed away1 leaving behind no trace of our existence4 ,i never see a beautiful landscape1 a noble ruin1 or a glorious fane1 without wishing that ,i could bequeath to those who will come to visit them when ,i shall be no more1 the tender thoughts that filled my soul when contemplating them2 and thus1 even in death1 create a sympathy4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,arles4 ,we stopped but a short time at ,beaucaire1 where we saw the largo plain on the banks of the ,rhone1 on which are erected the wooden houses for the annual fair which takes place in ,july1 when the scene is said to present a very striking effect4 ,these wooden houses are filled with articles of every description1 and are inhabited by the venders who bring their goods to be disposed of to the crowds of buyers who flock here from all parts1 offering1 in the variety of their costumes and habits1 a very animated and showy picture4 ,the public walk1 which edges the grassy plain allotted to the fair1 is bordered by large elm-trees1 and the vicinity to the river insures that freshness always so desirable in summer1 and more especially in a climate so warm as this4 ,the town of ,beaucaire has little worthy of notice1 except its ,htel-de-,ville and church1 both of which are handsome buildings4 ,we crossed the ,rhone over the bridge of boats1 from which we had a good view1 and arrived at ,tarascon4 ,the chteau called the ,castle of ,king ,ren1 but which was erected by ,louis ,,ii1 count of ,provence1 is an object of interest to all who love to ponder on the olden time1 when gallant knights and lovely dames assembled here for those tournaments in which the good ,ren delighted4 ,alas for the change6 ,in those apartments in which the generous monarch loved to indulge the effusions of his gentle muse1 and where fair ladies smiled1 and belted knights quaffed ruby wine to their healths1 now dwell reckless felons and hopeless debtors2 for the chteau is converted into a prison4 ,in the ,church of ,st4 ,martha we saw a relic of the barbarism of the dark ages1 in the shape of a grotesque representation of a dragon1 called the ,tarasque4 ,this image is formed of wood1 rudely painted in gandy colours4 ,twice a-year it is borne through the streets of ,tarascon1 in commemoration of the destruction of a fabulous monster that long frequented the ,rhone1 and devoured many of the inhabitants of the surrounding country1 but was at length vanquished by ,st4 ,martha2 who1 having secured it round the neck by her veil1 delivered it to the just vengeance of the ,tarascons4 ,this legend is received as truth by common people1 and our guide informed us that they warmly resent any doubt of its authenticity4 ,the monument of ,st4 ,martha is shown in the church dedicated to her1 and her memory is held in great reverence at ,tarascon4 ,the country between this place and ,tarascon is fertile and well cultivated1 and the cheerfulness of its aspect presents a striking contrast to the silence and solitude of the town4 ,the streets1 however1 are as clean as those of ,holland1 and the inhabitants are neat and tidy in their attire4 ,the houses are for the most part old and dilapidated1 looking in nearly as ruined a condition as the fragments of antiquity which date so many centuries before them4 ,nevertheless1 some of the streets and dwellings seem to indicate that a spirit of improvement is abroad4 ,our htel is a large1 crazy1 old mansion1 reminding me of some of those at ,shrewsbury2 and its furniture appears to be coeval with it1 as nothing can be more homely or misshapen4 ,oak and walnut-tree chairs1 beds1 and tables form the chief part1 and these are in a very rickety condition2 nevertheless1 an air of cleanliness and comfort pervades the rooms1 and with the extreme rusticity of the ameublement1 give one the notion of being in some huge old farm-house4 ,nor is the manner of the good hostess calculated to dispel this illusion4 ,when our three carriages drove to her door1 though prepared for our arrival by the courier1 she repeatedly said that her poor house had no accommodation for such guests1 and we had some difficulty in persuading her that we were easily satisfied4 ,she had donned her fte dress for our reception1 and presented a very picturesque appearance1 as she stood smiling and bustling about at the door4 ,she wore a high cap reminding me of those of the women in ,normandy3 brown stays2 linsey-woolsey1 voluminous petticoats2 handkerchief and apron trimmed with rich old-fashioned lace2 and long gold ear-rings1 and chain of the same material1 twisted at least ten times round her neck4 ,she explained to us1 in a patois not easily understood1 that her house was only frequented by the farmers1 and their wives and daughters1 who attended the fetes1 or occasionally by a stray traveller who came to explore the antiquities4 ,before ,i had travelled much on the ,continent1 ,i confess that the appearance of this dwelling would have rather startled me as a sjour for two days1 but now ,i can relish its rusticity2 for cleanliness1 that most indispensable of all requisites to comfort1 is not wanting4 ,the furniture is scrubbed into brightness1 the small diamond-shaped panes of the old-fashioned casements are clean as hands can make them2 the large antique fireplace is filled with fresh flowers2 and the walnut-tree tables are covered with white napkins4 ,no sooner had we performed our ablutions1 and changed our travelling dresses for others1 than our good hostess1 aided by three active young country maidens1 served up a plentiful dinner1 consisting of an excellent pot-au-feu1 followed by fish1 fowl1 and flesh1 sufficient to satisfy the hunger of at least four times the number of our party4 ,having covered the table until it literally groaned with the weight of the feast1 she seated herself at a little distance from it1 and issued her commands to her hand-maidens what to serve1 and when to change a plate1 what wine to offer1 and which dish she most recommended1 with a good-humoured attention to our wants1 that really anticipated them4 ,there was something as novel as patriarchal in her mode of doing the honours1 and it pleased us so much that we invited her to partake of our repast2 but she could not be prevailed on1 though she consented to drink our healths in a glass of her best wine4 ,she repeatedly expressed her fears that our dinner was not sufficiently recherch1 and hoped we would allow her to prepare a good supper4 ,when we were descending the stairs1 she met us with several of her female neighbours en grande toilette1 whom she had invited to see the strangers1 and who gazed at us with as much surprise as if we were natives of ,otaheite1 beheld for the first time4 ,cordial greetings1 however1 atoned for the somewhat too earnest examination to which we had been subjected2 and many civil speeches from our good hostess1 who seemed not a little proud of displaying her foreign guests1 rewarded the patience with which we submitted to the inspection4 ,one old lady felt the quality of our robes1 another admired our trinkets1 and a third was in raptures with our veils4 ,in short1 as a ,frenchwoman would say1 we had un grand succs2 and so1 our hostess assured us4 ,we went over the ,amphitheatre1 the dimensions of which exceed those of the ,amphitheatre at ,nismes4 ,three orders of architecture are also introduced in it1 and it has no less than sixty arcades1 with four large doors2 that on the north side has a very imposing effect4 ,the corridor leading to the arena exhibits all the grandeur peculiar to the public buildings of the ,romans1 and is well worthy of attention2 but the portion of the edifice that most interested me was the subterranean1 which a number of workmen were busily employed in excavating1 under the superintendence of the ,prefect of ,arles1 a gentleman with whose knowledge of the antiquities of his native town1 and urbanity towards the strangers who visit them1 we have every reason to be satisfied4 ,under his guidance1 we explored a considerable extent of the recently excavated subterranean1 a task which requires no slight devotion to antiquities to induce the visitor to persevere1 the inequalities of the ground exposing one continually to the danger of a fall1 or to the still more perilous chance--as occurred to one of our party--of the head coming in contact with the roof4 ,we saw also fragments of a theatre in the garden of the convent of ,la ,misricorde1 consisting of two large marble columns and two arches4 ,in the ancient church of ,st4 ,anne1 now converted into a museum1 are collected all the fragments of antiquity discovered at ,arles1 and in its vicinity2 some of them highly interesting1 and bearing evidences of the former splendour of the place4 ,an altar dedicated to the ,goddess of ,good2 the celebrated ,mithras with a serpent coiled round him1 between the folds of which are sculptured the signs of the zodiac2 ,medea and her children2 a mile-stone1 bearing the names of the ,emperors ,theodosius and ,valentinian2 a basso-relievo of the ,muses2 several sarcophagi1 votive altars1 cornices1 pillars1 mutilated statues1 and inscriptions1 are here carefully preserved3 but nothing in the collection equals the statue known by the title of the ,venus of ,arles1 found here1 and which is so deservedly admired at the ,louvre4 ,an obelisk of granite1 about sixty feet high1 said to be the only antique one in ,france1 stands on the place of the ,htel-de-,ville4 ,discovered in #achi1 it was not disinterred from the earth in which it was embedded until the reign of ,charles ,,ix1 and was erected on its present site in #afgf1 with a dedication to the then reigning sovereign1 ,louis ,,xiv2 ,a globe1 ornamented with fleurs de lis placed on its point1 deteriorates1 in my opinion1 from the beauty of its effect4 ,it was originally in one block1 but it was broken in two by its overturn4 ,many houses in the streets have portions of columns1 friezes1 and cornices embedded in their walls2 and one of them1 occupied by a barber1 had a column in front1 to which the insignia of his profession were attached4 ,ruins1 said to be those of the palace of ,constantine1 were pointed out to us1 as well as fragments of a forum and baths4 ,arles is certainly one of the most interesting towns ,i have ever seen1 whether viewed as a place remarkable for the objects of antiquity it contains1 or for the primitive manners of its inhabitants and its picturesque appearance4 ,the quays are spacious and well built1 presenting a very different aspect to the streets2 for the former are very populous1 being frequented by the boatmen who ply their busy commerce between ,lyons and ,marseilles--dpts for the merchandise being erected along them1 while the latter are comparatively deserted4 ,with this facility of communication with two such flourishing towns1 it is extraordinary that ,arles should have so long retained the primitive simplicity that seems to pervade it1 and that a good hotel has not yet been established here4 ,our good hostess provided nearly as substantial a supper for us last night as the early dinner served up on our arrival1 and again presided at the repast1 pressing us to eat1 and recommending1 with genuine kindness1 the various specimens of dainties set before us4 ,our beds1 though homely1 were clean2 and ,i have seldom1 in the most luxurious ones1 reposed equally soundly4 ,when our courier asked for the bill this morning1 the landlady declared she knew not what to charge1 that she never was in the habit of making out bills1 and that we must give her what we thought right4 ,the courier urged the necessity of having a regular bill1 explaining to her that he was obliged to file all bills1 and produce them every week for the arrangement of his accounts1--but in vain3 she could not1 she declared1 make one out2 and no one in her house was more expert than herself4 ,she came to us1 laughing and protesting1 and ended by saying1 ,pay what you like2 things are very cheap at ,arles4 ,you have eaten very little2 really1 it is not worth charging for4 ,but1 when we persisted on having her at least name a sum1 to our infinite surprise she asked1 if a couple of louis would be too much8--,and this for a party of six1 and six servants1 for two days6 ,we had some difficulty in inducing her to accept a suitable indemnification1 and parted1 leaving her proclaiming what she was pleased to consider our excessive generosity1 and reiterating her good wishes4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,st4-,r,,my4 ,the town of ,st4-,rmy is delightfully situated in a hollow that resembles the crater of an extinct volcano1 and is surrounded by luxuriant groves of olive4 ,the streets1 though generally narrow1 are rendered picturesque by several old houses1 the architecture of which is striking2 and the place--for even ,st4-,rmy has its ,place ,publique and ,htel-de-,ville--is not without pretensions to ornament4 ,in the centre of this place is a pretty fountain1 of a pyramidal form4 ,the antiquities which attracted us to ,st4-,rmy are at a short distance from the town1 on an eminence to the south of it1 and are approached by a road worthy the objects to which it conducts4 ,they consist of a triumphal arch1 and a mausoleum1 about forty-five feet asunder4 ,of the triumphal arch1 all above the archivault has disappeared1 leaving but the portico1 the proportions of which are neither lofty nor wide4 ,on each side of it are two fluted columns1 said to have been of the ,corinthian order1 but without capitals1 and the intercolumniations1 in each of which are figures of male and female captives4 ,a tree divides the male from the female2 their hands are tied1 and chained to the tree2 and a graceful drapery falls from above the heads down to the consoles on which the figures stand4 ,on the eastern side of the arch are also figures1 representing two women1 by the side of two men4 ,one of the women has her hand on the arm of a chained warrior1 and the other has at her feet military trophies2 among which bucklers1 arms1 and trumpets1 may be seen4 ,the pilasters that bound the intercolumniations are of the ,doric order1 and their capitals support the arch4 ,the cornice and astragals form a frieze1 in which military emblems and symbols of sacrifice are intermingled4 ,the archivault is ornamented on each side with sculptured wreaths of ivy1 pine cones1 branches of grapes and olives1 interlaced with ribands4 ,the ceiling of the portico is divided into hexagons and squares1 enriched by various designs in the shape of eggs and roses1 finely executed4 ,this interesting monument appears to have been ornamented with equal care and richness on every side1 but its decorations have not enabled any of the numerous antiquaries who have hitherto examined it to throw any light on its origin2 and the destruction of its architecture must have caused that of its inscription1 if1 indeed1 it ever bore one4 ,the mausoleum is even more curious than the arch1 as being the only building of a similar character of architecture to be seen4 ,placed on a large square pediment1 approached by two steps1 the edifice rises with unequalled lightness and beauty against the blue sky1 forming two stages supported by columns and pilasters1 united by a finely sculptured frieze4 ,the first stage retreats from the pediment2 and the second1 which is of a round form1 and terminated by a conical-shaped top1 is less in advance than the first1 giving a pyramidal effect4 ,the four fronts of the pediment are nearly covered by bassi-relievi1 representing battles of infantry2 the figures of which are nearly as large as life1 and admirably designed4 ,on the north front is a combat of cavalry2 on the west1 an engagement1 in the midst of which the body of a man is lying on the ground1 one party of soldiers endeavouring to take possession of it1 while another band of soldiers are trying to prevent them4 ,the basso-relievo of the south front represents a field of battle1 strewed with the dead and wounded1 and mingled with warriors on horseback and on foot4 ,on one side is seen a wild boar between the legs of the soldiers2 and on the other1 a female figure1 quite nude1 prostrate on the earth before a rearing horse1 which some soldiers are endeavouring to restrain4 ,in the centre of the basso-relievo is an old man expiring1 surrounded by several persons2 and at one end a soldier1 bearing arms on his shoulder1 has been left unfinished by the sculptor2 there not being sufficient space for the figure1 which is partly designed on the adjoining pilaster4 ,on the east front is a winged female bearing the attributes of ,victory1 with several women and warriors1 and an allegorical personage said to represent a river1 because it holds in one hand a symbol of water4 ,this last figure1 also1 is partly sculptured on the contiguous pilaster1 as is the one previously noted1 which proves that these ornaments were not executed at the time of the erection of the edifice4 ,the pediment has a simple cornice around it1 and the angles are finished by voluted pilasters without a base1 but with ,ionic capitals1 which have an extraordinary effect4 ,above the basso-relievo is a massive garland1 supported by three boys1 at equal distances2 and between them are four heads of old men1 as hideously grotesque as the imaginations of the sculptors could render them4 ,the first stage of the mausoleum which rises from this pedestal is pierced by an arch on each side1 in the form of a portico1 and their archivaults are ornamented by foliage and scrolls4 ,the arches rest on plain pilasters1 with capitals more resembling the ,doric than any other order of architecture4 ,on the keystone of each arch is the mark of a youthful male head1 surmounted by two wings4 ,the four angles of the first stage are finished by a fluted column1 with a capital charmingly executed1 like1 but not quite1 the ,corinthian4 ,these columns sustain an entablature or two1 which terminate this stage1 and its frieze is enriched with sculpture representing winged sea-monsters and sirens with sacrificial instruments4 ,above the first stage rises the second1 which is of a round form1 with ten fluted columns1 which support its circular entablature2 the capitals of these columns are similar to those of the first stage1 and the frieze is ornamented with foliage delicately sculptured4 ,a round cupola terminates this building1 through which the light shines in on every side1 although two male statues in togas occupy the centre of it4 ,to view the height at which these figures are placed1 one would suppose they were safe from the attacks of the mischievous or the curious2 nevertheless1 they did not escape1 for1 many years ago1 during the night1 their heads were taken off1 and those that replaced them reflect little credit on the taste or skill of the modern sculptor who executed the task4 ,on the architrave of the entablature of the first stage1 and on the north front1 is the following inscription3-- ,,sex4 ,l4 ,m4 ,,jvliei4 ,c4,f4 ,,parentibus4 ,,sveis4 ,various are the opinions given by the writers who have noticed this monument as to the cause for which1 and person1 or persons for whom1 it was erected4 ,some maintain that the triumphal arch from its vicinity has a relation to the mausoleum1 while others assert them to have been built at different epochs4 ,the inscription has only served to base the different hypotheses of antiquaries1 among which that of the ,abb ,barthlemy is considered the most probable2 namely1 that in the three first words are found two initials1 which he considers may be rendered as follows3-- ,,sextus ,,lucivs ,,marcvs2 and the two other initials1 ,c4,f41 which follow the word ,,jvliei1 may be explained in the same manner to signify ,caii ,filii1 and1 being joined to ,juliei1 which precedes1 may be received to mean ,julii ,caii ,filii4 ,mantour's reading of the inscription is1 ,caius ,sextius ,lucius1 ,maritus ,,juli ,incomparabilis1 ,curavit ,fieri ,,parentibus ,,suis2 which he translates into ,caius ,sextius ,lucius1 ,husband of ,julia1 caused this ,monument to be erected to the ,memory of his ,ancestors1 and the victories achieved by them in ,provence1 which on different occasions had been the theatre of war of the ,romans4 ,bouche's version of it is1-- ,lucius1 ,sextus ,llius1 ,maritus ,juli4 ,liberius1 ,istud ,cenotaphium1 or1 ,fecit ,parentibus ,suis2 ,intra ,circulum1 which he asserts to mean1--,sextus1 in honour of his ,father and ,mother1 buried in this place1 and represented by the two statues surrounded by columns in the upper part of the mausoleum4 ,monsieur ,p4 ,malosse1 to whose work on the antiquities of ,st4-,rmy ,i am indebted for the superficial knowledge ,i have attained of these interesting objects1 explains the inscription to mean1-- ,,sextvs ,,lvcivs ,,marcvs ,,jvliei ,,cvrav ,,erunt ,,fiere ,,sueis2 which he translates into ,sextus1 ,lucius1 ,marcus 7all three71 of the race of ,julius1 elevated this monument to the glory of their relations4 ,m4 ,malosse believes that the mausoleum was erected to ,julius1 and the arch to ,augustus ,csar--the first being dead1 and the second then living2 and that the statues in the former1 in the ,roman togas1 were intended to represent the two4 ,he imagines that the subjects of the bassi-relievi on the four fronts of the mausoleum bear out this hypothesis4 ,that of the east1 he says1 represents the combat of the ,romans with the ,germans on the bank of the ,rhine 7of which river the one on the basso-relievo is the emblem71 and the triumph of ,csar over ,ariovistus1 whoso women were taken prisoners4 ,the basso-relievo on the south front represents ,csar's conquest of the ,allobroges1 and the capture of the daughter of ,orgetorix1 one of the most powerful men of the country1 and instigator of the war4 ,the basso-relievo on the north front1 representing a combat of cavalry1 refers to the victory over the ,britons2 and that of the west front1 to the battle gained by the ,romans over the ,gauls1 in which the general of the latter was killed in the midst of his soldiers1 who endeavoured to prevent his being seized by the enemy4 ,passages from the ,commentaries of ,csar1 favour this ingenious interpretation of ,m4,p4 ,malosse2 but the abbreviations adopted in the inscription1 while well calculated to give rise to innumerable hypotheses1 will for ever leave in doubt1 by whom1 and in honour of whom1 these edifices were erected1 as well as the epoch at which they were built4 ,who could look on these monuments without reflecting on the vanity of mortals in thus offering up testimonials of their respect for persons of whose very names posterity is ignorant8 ,for the identity of those in whose honour the ,arch of ,triumph and ,mausoleum of ,st4-,rmy were raised puzzles antiquaries as much as does that of the individual for whom the pyramid of ,egypt was built4 ,vain effort1 originating in the weakness of our nature1 to preserve the memory of that which was dear to us1 and which we would fain believe will insure the reverence of ages unborn for that which we venerated6 ,,on ,,the ,,triumphal ,,arch ,,and ,,mausoleum ,,at ,,st4-,r,,my4 #a4 ,yon stately tomb that seeks the sky1 ,erected to the glorious dead1 ,through whose high arches sweeps1 the sigh ,the night winds heave when day has fled2 #b4 ,how fair its pillared stories rise ',gainst yon blue firmament so pure2 ,fair as they met admiring eyes1 ,long ages past1 they still endure4 #c4 ,yes1 many a race hath left the earth ,since first this ,mausoleum rose2 ,so many1 that the name1 or birth1 ,of dead1 or founder1 no one knows4 #d4 ,the sculptured pictures1 all may see1 ,were by a skilful artist wrought2 ,but1 ,time6 the secret rests with thee1 ,which to unravel men have sought4 #e4 ,of whom were they1 the honoured dead1 ,whose mem'ry ,love would here record8 ,lift up the veil1 so long o'erspread1 ,and tell whose dust yon fane doth guard4 #f4 ,name those whose love outlived the grave ,and sought to give for aye to fame ,mementos of the good and brave1 ,of whom thou hast effaced the name4 #g4 ,we know but that they lived and died1-- ,no more this stately tomb can tell3 ,here come and read a lesson1 ,pride1 ,this monument can give so well4 #h4 ,they lived--they hoped--they suffered--loved-- ,as all of ,earth have ever done2 ,were oft by wild ,ambition moved1 ,and basked1 perchance1 'neath glory's ,sun4 #i4 ,they deemed that they should leave behind ,undying names4 ,yet1 mark this fane1 ,for whom it rose1 by whom designed1 ,learned antiquaries search in vain4 #aj4 ,still doth it wear the form it wore1 ,through the dim lapse of by-gone age2 ,triumph of ,art in days of yore1 ,whose ,hist'ry fills the classic page4 #aa4 ,to honour ,victors it is said ',twas raised1 though none their names can trace2 ,it stands as monument instead1 ,unto each long-forgotten race1 #ab4 ,who came1 like me1 to gaze and brood ,upon it in this lonely spot-- ,their minds with pensive thoughts imbued1 ,that ,heroes could be thus forgot4 #ac4 ,yet still the wind a requiem sighs1 ,and the blue sky above it weeps2 ,thu ,sun pours down its radiant dyes1 ,though none can tell who 'neath it sleeps4 #ad4 ,and seasons roll1 and centuries pass1 ,and still unchanged thou keep'st thy place2 ,while we1 like shadows in a glass1 ,soon glide away1 and leave no trace4 #ae4 ,and yon proud ,arch1 the ,victor's meed1 ,is nameless as the neighbouring ,tomb3 ,victor1 and ,dead1 the ,fates decreed ,your memory to oblivion's gloom4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,lyons4 ,i see little alteration at ,lyons since ,i formerly passed through it4 ,its manufactories are1 nevertheless1 flourishing1 though less improvement than could be expected is visible in the external aspect of the place4 ,this being ,sunday1 and the ,fte-,dieu1 the garrison1 with flags flying1 drums beating1 trumpets sounding1 and all in gala dress1 marched through the streets to attend ,divine worship4 ,the train was headed by our old acquaintance ,general ,le ,paultre de la ,motte1 7whom we left at ,lyons on our route to ,italy71 and his staff2 wearing all their military decorations1 attended by a vast procession1 including the whole of the clergy in their rich attires and all the different religious communities in the town4 ,the officers were bare-headed--their spurred heels and warlike demeanour rendering this homage to a sacred ceremony more picturesque4 ,the gold and silver brocaded vestments and snowy robes of the priests glittering in the sun1 as they marched along to the sound of martial music1 looked very gorgeous2 and this mixture of ecclesiastical and military pomp had an imposing effect4 ,the streets through which the procession passed were ornamented with rich draperies and flowers1 reminding me of ,italy on similar occasions2 and the intense heat of a sun glowing like a fiery furnace1 aided the recollection4 ,since ,i have been on the continent1 it has often struck me with surprise1 that on solemn occasions like the present1 sacred music has not been performed instead of military4 ,nay1 ,i have heard quadrilles and waltzes played1 fruitful in festive associations little suited to the feelings which ought to have been excited by solemn ceremonials4 ,knowing1 by experience1 the effect produced on the mind by sacred music1 it is much to be wished that so potent an aid to devotional sentiment should not be omitted1 malgr whatever may be said against any extraneous assistance in offering up those devotions which the heart should be ever prompt to fulfil without them4 ,i leave to casuists to argue whether1 or how far1 music1 sculpture1 or painting1 may be employed as excitements to religious fervour3 but ,i confess1 although the acknowledgment may expose me to the censure of those who differ with me in opinion1 that ,i consider them powerful adjuncts1 and1 consequently1 not to be resigned because some--and happy1 indeed1 may they be deemed--stand in no need of such incitements to devotion4 ,who that has heard the ,miserere in the ,sistine chapel at ,rome1 and seen1 while listening to it1 ,the ,last ,judgment1 by ,michael ,angelo1 on its walls1 without feeling the powerful influence they exercised on the feelings8 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,paris4 ,june1 #ahbh4--;,a fatiguing journey1 over dusty roads1 and in intensely hot weather1 has brought us to ,paris1 with no accident save the failure of one of the wheels of our large landau--a circumstance that caused the last day's travelling to be any thing but agreeable2 for though our courier declared the temporary repair it received rendered it perfectly safe1 ,i was by no means satisfied on the point4 ,we have taken up our abode in the ,htel de la ,terrasse1 ,rue de ,rivoli1 are well-lodged1 but somewhat incommoded by the loud reverberation of the pavement1 as the various vehicles roll rapidly over it4 ,we were told that it would be nothing when we got used to it--an assertion1 the truth of which1 ,i trust1 we shall not remain sufficiently long to test2 for ,i have a peculiar objection to noise of every kind1 and a long residence in ,italy has not conquered it4 ,so here we are1 once more1 at ,paris1 after six years' absence from it2 and ,i find all that has hitherto met my eyes in it in statu quo4 ,how many places have ,i seen during that period2 how many associations formed2 how many and what various impressions received2 and here is every thing around looking so precisely as ,i left them1 that ,i can hardly bring myself to believe that ,i have indeed been so many years absent6 ,when we bring back with us the objects most dear1 and find those we left unchanged1 we are tempted to doubt the lapse of time2 but one link in the chain of affection broken1 and every thing seems altered4 ,on entering ,paris1 ,i felt my impatience to see our dear friends there redouble2 and1 before we had despatched the dinner awaiting our arrival1 the ,duc and ,duchesse de ,guiche1 came to us4 ,how warm was our greeting2 how many questions to be asked and answered2 how many congratulations and pleasant plans for the future to be formed2 how many reminiscences of our mutual sjour in dear ,italy to be talked over6 ,the ,duchesse was radiant in health and beauty1 and the ,duc looking1 as he always does1 more distingu1 than any one else--the perfect beau idal of a nobleman4 ,we soon quitted the salle manger2 for who could eat during the joy of a first meeting with those so valued8--,not ,i1 certainly2 and all the rest of our party were as little disposed to do honour to the repast commanded for us4 ,it was a happy evening4 ,seated in the salon1 and looking out on the pleasant gardens of the ,tuileries1 the perfume of whose orange-trees was wafted to us by the air as we talked over old times1 and indulged in cheerful anticipations of new ones1 and the tones of voices familiar to the ears thus again restored1 were heard with emotion4 ,yes1 the meeting of dear friends atones for the regret of separation2 and like it so much enhances affection1 that after absence one wonders how one has been able to stay away from them so long4 ,too excited to sleep1 although fatigued1 ,i am writing down my impressions2 yet how tame and colourless they seem on paper when compared with the emotions that dictate them6 ,how often have ,i experienced the impossibility of painting strong feelings during their reign6 ,mem4--,we should be cautious in giving implicit credit to descriptions written with great power1 as ,i am persuaded they indicate a too perfect command of the faculties of the head to admit the possibility of those of the heart having been much excited when they were written4 ,this belief of mine controverts the assertion of the poet-- ,he best can paint them who has felt them most4 ,except that the poet says who has felt2 yes1 it is after1 and not when most felt that sentiments can be most powerfully expressed4 ,but to bed6 to bed6 ,i have had a busy day2 engaged during the greater portion of it in the momentous occupation of shopping4 ,every thing belonging to my toilette is to be changed1 for ,i have discovered--tell it not in ,gath--that my hats1 bonnets1 robes1 mantles1 and pelisses1 are totally passe de mode1 and what the modistes of ,italy declared to be la dernire mode de ,paris is so old as to be forgotten here4 ,the woman who wishes to be a philosopher must avoid ,paris6 ,yesterday ,i entered it1 caring or thinking as little of la mode as if there were no such tyrant2 and lo6 to-day1 ,i found myself ashamed1 as ,i looked from the ,duchess de ,guiche1 attired in her becoming and pretty peignoir la neige and chapeau du dernier got1 to my own dress and bonnet1 which previously ,i had considered very wearable1 if not very tasteful4 ,our first visit was to ,herbault's1 the high-priest of the ,temple of ,fashion at ,paris2 and ,i confess1 the look of astonishment which he bestowed on my bonnet did not help to reassure my confidence as to my appearance4 ,the ,duchesse1 too quick-sighted not to observe his surprise1 explained that ,i had been six years absent from ,paris1 and only arrived the night before from ,italy4 ,i saw the words la bonne heure hovering on the lips of ,herbault1 he was too well-bred to give utterance to them1 and immediately ordered to be brought forth the choicest of his hats1 caps1 and turbans4 ,oh1 the misery of trying on a new mode for the first time1 and before a stranger6 ,the eye accustomed to see the face to which it appertains enveloped in a chapeau more or less large or small1 is shocked at the first attempt to wear one of a different size2 and turns from the contemplation of the image presented in the glass with any thing but self-complacency1 listening incredulously to the flattering encomiums of the not disinterested marchand de modes1 who avers that ,ce chapeau sied parfaitement ,madame la ,comtesse1 et ce bonnet lui va ravir4 ,i must1 however1 render ,m4 ,herbault the justice to say1 that he evinced no ordinary tact in suggesting certain alterations in his chapeaux and caps1 in order to suit my face2 and1 aided by the inimitable good taste of the ,duchesse1 who passes for an oracle in affaires de modes ,paris1 a selection was made that enabled me to leave ,m4 ,herbault's1 looking a little more like other people4 ,from his ,temple of ,fashion we proceeded to the lingre la mode1 ,mdlle4 ,la ,touche1 where canezous and robes de matin were to be chosen and ordered2 and we returned to the ,htel de la ,terrasse1 my head filled with notions of the importance of dressing la mode1 to which yesterday it was a stranger1 and my purse considerably lightened by the two visits ,i had paid4 ,englishwomen who have not made their purchases at the houses of the marchandes de modes considered the most recherch at ,paris1 have no idea of the extravagance of the charges4 ,prices are demanded that really make a prudent person start2 nevertheless1 she who wishes to attain the distinction so generally sought1 of being perfectly well dressed1 which means being in the newest fashion1 must submit to pay largely for it4 ,three hundred and twenty francs for a crape hat and feathers1 two hundred for a chapeau fleurs1 one hundred for a chapeau nglig de matin1 and eighty-five francs for an evening-cap composed of tulle trimmed with blonde and flowers1 are among the prices asked1 and1 to my shame be it said1 given4 ,it is true1 hats1 caps1 and bonnets may be had for very reasonable prices in the shops in the ,rue ,vivienne and elsewhere at ,paris1 as ,i and many of my female compatriots found out when ,i was formerly in this gay capital2 but the bare notion of wearing such would positively shock a lady of fashion at ,paris1 as much as it would an ,english one1 to appear in a hat manufactured in ,cranbourn ,alley4 ,here ,fashion is a despot1 and no one dreams of evading its dictates4 ,having noticed the extravagance of the prices1 it is but fair to remark the elegance and good taste of the millinery to be found at ,monsieur ,herbault's4 ,his chapeaux look as if made by fairy fingers1 so fresh1 so light1 do they appear2 and his caps seem as if the gentlest sigh of a summer's zephyr would bear them from sight1 so aerial is their texture1 and so delicate are the flowers that adorn them1 fresh from the ateliers of ,natier1 or ,baton4 ,beware1 ,o ye uxorious husbands6 how ye bring your youthful brides to the dangerous atmosphere of ,paris1 while yet in that paradise of fools ycleped the honey-moon1 ere you have learned to curve your brows into a frown1 or to lengthen your visages at the sight of a long bill4 ,in that joyful season1 when having pleased your eyes and secured your hearts1 your fair brides1 with that amiability which is one of the peculiar characteristics of their sex1 are anxious to please all the world1 and from no other motive than that your choice should be admired1 beware of entering ,paris1 except en passant4 ,wait until you have recovered that firmness of character which generally comes back to a ,benedict after the first year of his nuptials1 before you let your wives wander through the tempting mazes of the magasins de modes of this intoxicating city4 ,and you1 fair dames1 with stinted sums assigned1 in the shape of pin-money1 beware how you indulge that taste for pretty bonnets1 hats1 caps1 and turbans1 with which all bountiful ,nature has so liberally gifted you2 for1 alas6 beneath the roses fierce ,repentance rears her snaky crest in form of a bill1 the payment of which will leave you poor indeed for many a long day after1 unless your liege lord1 melted by the long-drawn sighs heaved when you remark on the wonderfully high prices of things at ,paris1 opens his purse-strings1 and1 with something between a pshaw and a grunt1 makes you an advance of your next quarter's pin-money2 or1 better still1 a present of one of the hundred pounds with which he had intended to try his good luck at the club4 ,went yesterday to the ,rue d',anjou1 to visit ,madame ,craufurd4 ,her htel is a charming one1 entre cour et jardin2 and she is the most extraordinary person of her age ,i have ever seen4 ,in her eightieth year1 she does not look to be more than fifty-five2 and possesses all the vivacity and good humour peculiar only to youth4 ,scrupulously exact in her person1 and dressed with the utmost care1 as well as good taste1 she gives me a notion of the appearance which the celebrated ,ninon de l',enclos must have presented at the same age1 and has much of the charm of manner said to have belonged to that remarkable woman4 ,it was an interesting sight to see her surrounded by her grand-children and great-grand-children1 all remarkable for their good looks1 and affectionately attached to her1 while she appears not a little proud of them4 ,the children of the ,duc de ,guiche have lost nothing of their beauty since their sjour at ,pisa1 and are as ingenuous and amusing as formerly4 ,i never saw such handsome children before1 nor so well brought up4 ,no trouble or expense is spared in their education2 and the ,duc and ,duchesse devote a great portion of their time to them4 ,all our friends are occupied in looking out for a house for us2 and ,i have this day been over1 at least1 ten--only one of which seems likely to suit4 ,i highly approve the mode at ,paris of letting unfurnished houses1 or apartments1 with mirrors and decorations1 as well as all fixtures 7with us1 in ,england1 always charged separately7 free of any extra expense4 ,the good taste evinced in the ornaments is in general remarkable1 and far superior to what is to be met with in ,england2 where1 if one engages a new house lately papered or painted1 one is compelled to recolour the rooms before they can be occupied1 owing to the gaudy and ill-assorted patterns originally selected4 ,the house of the ,marchal ,lobau1 forming the corner of the ,rue de ,bourbon1 is the one ,i prefer of all those ,i have yet seen1 although it has many dsagrmens for so large an establishment as ours4 ,but ,i am called to go to the review in the ,champ-de-,mars1 so allons for a spectacle militaire1 which1 ,i am told1 is to be very fine4 ,the review was well worth seeing2 and the troops performed their evolutions with great precision4 ,the crowd of spectators was immense2 so much so1 that those only who formed part of the royal cortge could reach the ,champ-de-,mars in time to see its commencement4 ,no carriages1 save those of the court1 were allowed to enter the file4 ,the dust was insupportable2 and the pretty dresses of the ladies suffered from it nearly as much as did the smart uniforms of the officers4 ,the coup d'oeil from the pavilion 7where we had1 thanks to our chaperon1 the ,duchesse de ,guiche1 front seats7 was very fine4 ,the various and splendid uniforms1 floating standards1 waving plumes1 glittering arms1 and prancing steeds1 gave to the vast plain over which the troops were moving a most animated aspect1 while the sounds of martial music exhilarated the spirits4 ,nor was the view presented by the interior of the pavilion without its charms4 ,a number of ladies1 some of them young and handsome1 and all remarkably well-dressed1 gave to the benches ranged along it the appearance of a rich parterre1 among the flowers of which the beautiful ,duchesse de ,guiche shone pre-eminent4 ,i was seated next to a lady1 with large lustrous eyes and a pale olive complexion1 whose countenance1 from its extreme mobility1 attracted my attention2 at one moment1 lighting up with intelligence1 and the next1 softening into pensiveness4 ,a remarkably handsome young man stood behind her1 holding her shawl1 and lavishing on her those attentions peculiar to young ,benedicts4 ,the lady proved to be the ,marchioness de ,loul1 sister to the ,king of ,portugal2 and the gentleman turned out to be her husband1 for whose beaux yeux she contracted what is considered a msalliance4 ,the simplicity of her dress1 and unaffectedness of her manner1 invested her with new attractions in my eyes2 which increased when ,i reflected on the elevated position she had resigned1 to follow the more humble fortunes of her handsome husband4 ,how strange1 yet how agreeable too1 must the change be1 from the most formal court1 over which ,etiquette holds a despotic sway1 to the freedom from such disagreeable constraint permitted to those in private life1 and now enjoyed by this ,spanish princess6 ,she appears to enjoy this newly acquired liberty with a zest in proportion to her past enthralment1 and has proved that the daughter of a ,king of ,portugal has a heart1 though the queens of its neighbour1 ,spain1 were in former days not supposed to have legs4 ,during the evolutions1 a general officer was thrown from his horse2 and a universal agitation among a group of ladies evinced that they were in a panic4 ,soon the name of the general1 ,count de ,bourmont1 was heard pronounced2 and a faint shriek1 followed by a half swoon from one of the fair dames1 announced her deep interest in the accident4 ,flacons and vinaigrettes were presented to her on every side1 all the ladies present seeming to have come prepared for some similar catastrophe2 but in a few minutes a messenger1 despatched by the general1 assured ,madame la ,comtesse of his perfect safety2 and tears of joy testified her satisfaction at the news4 ,this little episode in the review shewed me the ,french ladies in a very amiable point of view4 ,their sensibility and agitation during the uncertainty as to the person thrown1 vouched for the liveliness of their conjugal affection2 and their sympathy for ,madame la ,comtesse de ,bourmont when it was ascertained that her husband was the sufferer1 bore evidence to the kindness of their hearts1 as well as to their facility in performing the little services so acceptable in moments like those ,i had just witnessed4 ,charles ,x1 the ,dauphin and ,dauphine1 and the ,duchesse de ,berri1 were present--the two latter in landaus1 attended by their ladies4 ,the king looked well1 his grey hair and tall thin figure giving him a very venerable aspect4 ,the ,dauphine is much changed since ,i last saw her1 and the care and sorrow of her childhood have left their traces on her countenance4 ,i never saw so melancholy a face1 and the strength of intellect which characterises it renders it still more so1 by indicating that the marks of sorrow so visible were not indented on that brow without many an effort from the strong mind to resist the attacks of grief4 ,i remember reading years ago of the melancholy physiognomy of ,king ,charles ,i1 which when seen in his portrait by a ,florentine sculptor1 to whom it was sent in order that a bust should be made from it1 drew forth the observation that the countenance indicated that its owner would come to a violent death4 ,i was reminded of this anecdote by the face of the ,duchesse d',angoulme2 for though ,i do not pretend to a prescience as to her future fate1 ,i cannot help arguing from it that1 even should a peaceful reign await her1 the fearful trials of her youth have destroyed in her the power of enjoyment2 and that on a throne she can never forget the father and mother she saw hurried from it1 to meet every insult that malice could invent1 or cruelty could devise1 before a violent death freed them from their sufferings4 ,who can look on this heroic woman without astonishment at the power of endurance that has enabled her to live on under such trials8 ,martyr is written in legible characters on that brow1 and on those lips2 and her attempt to smile made me more sad than the tears of a mourner would have done1 because it revealed a grief too deep for tears4 ,must she not tremble for the future1 if not for the present1 among a people so versatile as those among whom she is now thrown8 ,and can she look from the windows of the palace she has been recalled to inhabit1 without seeing the spot where the fearful guillotine was reared that made her an orphan8 ,the very plaudits that now rend the skies for her uncle must remind her of the shouts that followed her father to the scaffold3 no wonder1 then1 that she grows pale as she hears them2 and that the memory of the terrible past1 written in characters of blood1 gives a sombre hue to the present and to the future4 ,the sight of her1 too1 must awaken disagreeable recollections in those over whom her husband may be soon called to reign1 for the history of the crimes of the ,revolution is stamped on her face1 whose pallid lint and rigid muscles tell of the horror and affliction imprinted on her youth2 the reminiscence of which cannot be pleasant to them4 ,the ,french not only love their country passionately1 but are inordinately proud of it2 hence1 aught that reminds them of its sins--and cruelty is one of a deep dye--must be humiliating to them2 so that the presence of the ,duchesse d',angoulme cannot be flattering to their amor patri or amour propre4 ,i thought of all this to-day1 as ,i looked on the face of ,madame la ,dauphine2 and breathed a hope that the peace of her life's evening may console her for the misfortunes of its morning and its noon4 ,the ,duchesse de ,berri has an animated and peculiarly good-natured expression of countenance4 ,her restored gaiety makes the ,french forget why it was long and cruelly overclouded1 and aids the many good qualities which she possesses1 in securing the popularity she has so generally acquired in the country of her adoption4 ,house-hunting again1 and still unsuited4 ,dined yesterday at the ,duchesse de ,guiche's2 a very pleasant party1 increased by some agreeable people in the evening4 ,our old acquaintance1 ,william ,lock1 was among the guests at dinner1 and is as good-looking and light-hearted as ever4 ,the ,marquis l',esprance de l',aigle was also present1 and is a perfect specimen of the fine gentleman of la ,vieille ,cour--a race now nearly extinct4 ,possessing all the gaiety and vivacity of youth1 with that attention to the feelings of others peculiar only to maturity and high-breeding1 the ,count l',esprance de l',aigle is universally beloved4 ,he can talk over old times with the grand-mother with all the wit that we read of1 oftener than we meet with2 give his opinion of la dernire mode to the youthful mother1 with rare tact and good taste2 dance with the young daughter as actively and gracefully as any garon de dix-huit ans in ,paris2 and gallop through the ,bois de ,boulogne with the young men who pride themselves on their riding1 without being ever left behind4 ,i had frequently heard his praises from the ,duchesse de ,guiche1 and found that her description of him was very accurate4 ,the house of the ,duc de ,guiche is a picture of ,english comfort and ,french elegance united2 and that portion of it appropriated to its fair mistress is fitted up with exquisite taste4 ,her salons and boudoir are objects of vert1 bijouterie1 and vases of old ,svre1 enough to excite envy in those who can duly appreciate such treasures1 and tempt to the violation of the tenth commandment4 ,order reigns in the whole arrangement of the establishment1 which1 possessing all the luxurious appliances of a maison monte1 has all the scrupulous cleanliness of that of a ,quaker4 ,went to the ,opera last night1 where ,i saw the dbut of the new danseuse ,taglioni4 ,hers is a totally new style of dancing2 graceful beyond all comparison1 wonderful lightness1 an absence of all violent effort1 or at least of the appearance of it1 and a modesty as new as it is delightful to witness in her art4 ,she seems to float and bound like a sylph across the stage1 never executing those tours de force that we know to be difficult and wish were impossible1 being always performed at the expense of decorum and grace1 and requiring only activity for their achievement4 ,she excited the most rapturous applause1 and received it with a decent dignity1 very unlike the leering smiles with which1 in general1 a danseuse thinks it necessary to advance to the front of the proscenium1 shewing all her teeth1 as she lowly courtesies to the audience4 ,there is a sentiment in the dancing of this charming votary of ,terpsichore that elevates it far beyond the licentious style generally adopted by the ladies of her profession1 and which bids fair to accomplish a reformation in it4 ,the ,duc de ,cazes1 who came in to the ,duchesse de ,guiche's box1 was enthusiastic in his praises of ,mademoiselle ,taglioni1 and said hers was the most poetical style of dancing he had ever seen4 ,another observed1 that it was indeed the poetry of motion4 ,i would describe it as being the epic of dancing4 ,the ,duc de ,cazes is a very distinguished looking man1 with a fine and intelligent countenance1 and very agreeable manners4 propos of manners1 ,i am struck with the great difference between those of ,frenchmen and ,englishmen1 of the same station in life4 ,the latter treat women with a politeness that seems the result of habitual amenity2 the former with a homage that appears to be inspired by the peculiar claims of the sex1 particularised in the individual woman1 and is consequently more flattering4 ,an ,englishman seldom lays himself out to act the agreeable to women2 a ,frenchman never omits an opportunity of so doing3 hence1 the attentions of the latter are less gratifying than those of the former1 because a woman1 however free from vanity1 may suppose that when an ,englishman takes the trouble--and it is evidently a trouble1 more or less1 to all our islanders to enact the agreeable--she had really inspired him with the desire to please4 ,in ,france1 a woman may forget that she is neither young nor handsome2 for the absence of these claims to attention does not expose her to be neglected by the male sex4 ,in ,england1 the elderly and the ugly could a tale unfold of the navet with which men evince their sense of the importance of youth and beauty1 and their oblivion of the presence of those who have neither4 ,france is the paradise for old women1 particularly if they are spirituelle2 but ,england is the purgatory4 ,the ,comtesses de ,bellegarde called on me to-day1 and two more warm-hearted or enthusiastic persons ,i never saw4 ,though no longer young1 they possess all the gaiety of youth1 without any of its thoughtlessness1 and have an earnestness in their kindness that is very pleasant4 ,dined yesterday at ,madame ,craufurd's--a very pleasant party4 ,met there the ,duc de ,gramont1 ,duc and ,duchesse de ,guiche1 ,colonel and lady ,barbara ,craufurd1 and ,count ,valeski4 ,the ,duc de ,gramont is a fine old man who has seen much of the world1 without having been soured by its trials4 ,faithful to his sovereign during adversity1 he is affectionately cherished by the whole of the present royal family1 who respect and love him2 and his old age is cheered by the unceasing devotion of his children1 the ,duc and ,duchesse de ,guiche1 who are fondly attached to him4 ,he gives up much of his time to the culture of flowers1 and is more interested in the success of his dahlias than in those scenes of courtly circles in which he is called to fill so distinguished a part4 ,it pleased me to hear him telling his beautiful daughter-in-law of the perfection of a flower she had procured him with some trouble2 and then adding3 propos of flowers1 how is our sweet ,ida1 to-day8 ,there is no flower in my garden like her6--,ay1 she will soon be two years old4 ,there is something soothing to the mind in the contemplation of a man in the evening of life1 whose youth was spent in all the splendour of a court1 and whose manhood has been tried by adversity1 turning to ,nature for her innocent pleasures1 when the discovery of the futility of all others has been made4 ,this choice vouches for the purity of heart and goodness of him who has adopted it1 and disposes me to give ample credit to all the commendation the ,duchesse de ,guiche used to utter of him in ,italy4 ,lady ,barbara ,craufurd is an excellent specimen of an ,english woman4 ,pretty1 without vanity or affectation2 gentle1 without insipidity2 and simple1 yet highly polished1 in mariners4 ,she has1 too1 a low1 sweet voice1 an excellent thing in woman1 and1 to me1 whose ears offer even a more direct road to the heart than do the eyes1 is a peculiar attraction4 ,colonel ,craufurd seems to be the quintessence of good nature and of good sense4 ,count ,valeski is an intelligent young man1 greatly la mode at ,paris1 and wholly unspoilt by this distinction4 ,handsome1 well-bred1 and agreeable1 he is very popular1 not only among the fine ladies but fine gentlemen here1 and appears worthy of the favour he enjoys4 ,several people of both sexes came in the evening to ,madame ,craufurd's1 and we had some excellent music4 ,madame ,c4 does the honours of her salon with peculiar grace4 ,she has a bright smile and a kind word for every guest1 without the slightest appearance of effort4 ,still house-hunting2 continually tempted by elegantly decorated salons1 and as continually checked by the want of room and comfort of the rest of the apartments4 ,we have been compelled to abandon the project of taking the ,marchal ,lobau's house1 or at least that portion of it which he wishes to dispose of1 for we found it impossible to lodge so large an establishment as ours in it2 and1 though we communicated this fact with all possible courtesy to the ,marchal1 we have received a note in answer1 written in a different style1 as he is pleased to think that1 having twice inspected his apartments1 we ought to have taken them4 ,in ,england1 a person of the ,marchal's rank who had a house to let would not show it in propri person1 but would delegate that task1 as also the terms and negotiations1 to some agent2 thus avoiding all personal interference1 and1 consequently1 any chance of offence3 but if people will feel angry without any just cause1 it cannot be helped2 and so ,monsieur le ,marchal must recover his serenity and acquire a temper more in analogy with his name2 for1 though a brave and distinguished officer1 as well as a good man1 which he is said to be1 he certainly is not ,bon comme un mouton1 which is his cognomen4 ,paris is now before us1--where to choose is the difficulty4 ,we saw to-day a house in the ,rue ,st4-,honor1 entre cour et jardin1 a few doors from the ,english embassy4 ,the said garden is the most tempting part of the affair2 for1 though the salons and sleeping-rooms are good1 the only entrance1 except by a passage drob for servants1 is through the salle manger1 which is a great objection4 ,many of the houses ,i have seen here have this defect1 which the ,parisians do not seem to consider one1 although the odour of dinner must enter the salons1 and that in the evening visitors must find servants occupied in removing the dinner apparatus1 should they1 as generally happens1 come for the prima sera4 ,french people1 however1 remain so short a time at table1 and dine so much earlier than the ,english people do1 that the employment of their salle manger as a passage does not annoy them4 ,went to the opera last night1 and saw the ,muette de ,portici4 ,it is admirably got up1 and the costumes and scenery1 as well as the tarantulas1 transported me back to ,naples--dear1 joyous ,naples--again4 ,nourrit enacted ,massaniello1 and his rich and flexible voice gave passion and feeling to the music4 ,noblet was the ,fenella1 and her pantomime and dancing were good2 but ,taglioni spoils one for any other dancing4 ,the six years that have flown over ,noblet since ,i last saw her have left little trace of their flight1 which is to be marvelled at1 when one considers the violent and constant exercise that the profession of a danseuse demands4 ,when ,i saw the sylph-like ,taglioni floating through the dance1 ,i could not refrain from sighing at the thought that grace and elegance like hers should be doomed to know the withering effect of ,time2 and that those agile limbs should one day become as stiff and helpless as those of others4 ,an old danseuse is an anomaly4 ,she is like an old rose1 rendered more displeasing by the recollection of former attractions4 ,then to see the figure bounding in air1 habit and effort effecting something like that which the agility peculiar to youth formerly enabled her to execute almost con amore2 while the haggard face1 and distorted smile revealing yellow teeth1 tell a sad tale of departed youth4 ,yes1 an old danseuse is a melancholy object2 more so1 because less cared for1 than the broken-down racer1 or worn-out hunter4 ,went to ,tivoli last night1 and was amused by the scene of gaiety it presented4 ,how unlike1 and how superior to1 our ,vauxhall6 ,people of all stations1 of all ages1 and of both sexes1 threading the mazy dance with a sprightliness that evinced the pleasure it gave them4 ,we paused to look at group after group1 all equally enjoying themselves2 and the ,duchesse de ,guiche1 from her perfect knowledge of ,paris1 was enabled1 by a glance1 to name the station in life occupied by each3 a somewhat difficult task for a stranger1 as the remarkably good taste of every class of women in ,paris in dress1 precludes those striking contrasts between the appearance of a modiste and a marquise1 the wife of a boutiquier and a duchesse1 to be met with in all other countries4 ,but it is not in dress alone that a similarity exists in the exteriors of ,parisian women4 ,the air comme il faut1 the perfect freedom from all gaucherie1 the ease of demeanour1 the mode of walking1 and1 above all1 the decent dignity equally removed from mauvaise honte and effrontery1 appertain nearly alike to all4 ,the class denominated grisettes alone offered an exception1 as their demonstrations of gaiety1 though free from boisterousness1 betrayed stronger symptoms of hilarity than were evinced by women belonging to a more elevated class in society4 ,the dancing1 too1 surprised as well as pleased me2 and in this accomplishment the ,french still maintain their long-acknowledged superiority1 for among the many groups ,i did not see a single bad dancer4 ,around one quadrille party a more numerous audience was collected than around the others1 and the entrechats of one of the gentlemen were much applauded4 ,nods and smiles passing between the dancers and the ,duchesse de ,guiche1 revealed to me that they were among the circle of her acquaintance2 and1 approaching nearer1 ,i recognised in the gentleman whose entrechats were so much admired1 my new acquaintance the ,marquis l',esprance de l',aigle1 of whose excellence in the mazy dance ,i now had an opportunity of seeing that ,fame had not said too much4 ,the ladies who formed the quadrille were la ,marquise de ,marmier1 the ,vicomtesse de ,noailles1 and ,madame ,standish2 all excellent dancers1 and attired in that most becoming of all styles of dress1 the demi-toilette1 which is peculiar to ,france1 and admits of the after-dinner promenades or unceremonious visits in which ,french ladies indulge4 ,a simple robe of organdie1 with long sleeves1 a canezou of net1 a light scarf1 and a pretty chapeau of paille de riz1 form this becoming toilette1 which is considered a suitable one for all theatres1 except the ,opera1 where ladies go in a richer dress4 ,on our return from ,tivoli1 we had a small party to drink tea1 and remained chatting till one o'clock--a late hour for ,paris4 ,among the guests was our old friend ,mr4 ,t4 ,steuart1 the nephew of ,sir ,william ,drummond1 who continues to be as clever and original as ever4 ,his lively remarks and brilliant sallies were very amusing4 ,having complained of the want of a comfortable chair last evening1 ,i found a chef d'oeuvre of ,rainguet's in my salon this morning1 sent me by my thoughtful and ever-kind friend the ,duc de ,guiche4 ,a connoisseur in chairs and sofas1 being unhappily addicted to taking mine ease not only in mine inn1 but wherever ,i meet these requisites to it1 ,i am compelled to acknowledge the superiority of ,rainguet over any that ,i have previously seen2 and my only fear is1 that this luxurious chair will seduce me into the still greater indulgence of my besetting or besitting sin1 sedentary habits4 ,at length1 we have found a house to suit us1 and a delightful one it is2 once the property of the ,marchal ,ney1 but now belonging to the ,marquis de ,lillers4 ,it is situated in the ,rue de ,bourbon1 but the windows of the principal apartments look on the ,seine1 and command a delightful view of the ,tuilerie ,gardens4 ,it is approached by an avenue bounded by fine trees1 and is enclosed on the ,rue de ,bourbon side by high walls1 a large porte-cochre1 and a porter's lodge2 which give it all the quiet and security of a country house4 ,this htel may be viewed as a type of the splendour that marked the dwellings of the imperial noblesse1 and some notion of it may be conceived from the fact that the decorations of its walls alone cost a million of francs4 ,these decorations are still--thanks to the purity of the air of ,paris--as fresh as if only a year painted1 and are of great beauty2 so much so1 that it will be not only very expensive but very difficult to assort the furniture to them2 and1 unfortunately1 there is not a single meuble in the house4 ,the rent is high1 but there are so many competitors for the htel1 which has only been three days in the market1 that we consider ourselves fortunate in having secured it4 ,a small garden1 or rather terrace1 with some large trees and plenty of flowers1 separates the house from the ,quai d',orsay1 and runs back at its left angle4 ,the avenue terminates in a court1 from which1 on the right1 a gate opens into the stable offices2 and a vestibule1 fitted up as a conservatory1 forms an entrance to the house4 ,a flight of marble steps on each side of the conservatory1 leads to a large ante-room1 from which a window of one immense plate of glass1 extending from the ceiling to the floor1 divides the centre1 permitting the pyramids of flowers to be seen through it4 ,a glass door on each side opens from the vestibule to the steps of the conservatory4 ,the vestibule1 lofty and spacious1 is lighted also by two other windows1 beyond the conservatory1 and is ornamented with pilasters with ,corinthian capitals4 ,on the right hand is the salle manger1 a fine room1 lighted by three windows looking into the court-yard1 and architecturally arranged with pilasters1 a rich cornice and ceiling3 the hall is stuccoed1 painted in imitation of marble1 and has so fine a polish as really to deceive the eye4 ,in the centre of this apartment is a large door between the pilasters1 opening into a drawing-room1 and at the opposite end from the door that opens from the vestibule is that which leads to the kitchen offices1 and by which dinner is served4 ,vis--vis to the salle manger1 and divided from it by the large vestibule1 is a dressing and bed-chamber with an alcove1 both rooms being ornamented with columns and pilasters1 between which are mirrors of large dimensions inserted in recesses4 ,a corridor and escalier drob at the back of these two apartments admit the attendance of servants1 without their passing through the vestibule4 ,in the centre of this last1 and opposite to the large plate of glass that divides it from the conservatory1 large folding doors open into the principal drawing-room1 which is lighted by three large and lofty windows1 the centre one exactly facing the folding doors1 and1 like them1 supported by pilasters4 ,this room is of large dimensions1 and finely proportioned2 the sides and ends are divided by fluted pilasters with ,corinthian capitals richly gilt4 ,at one extremity is a beautifully sculptured chimney-piece of ,parian marble1 over which is a vast mirror1 bounded by pilasters1 that separate it from a large panel on each side1 in the centre of which are exquisitely designed allegorical groups4 ,at the opposite end1 a mirror1 of similar dimensions to that over the chimney-piece1 and resting like it on a white marble slab1 occupies the centre1 on each side of which are panels with painted groups4 ,doors at each end1 and exactly facing1 lead into other salons2 opposite to the two end windows are large mirrors1 resting on marble slabs1 bounded by narrow panels with painted figures1 and between the windows are also mirrors to correspond4 ,the pictorial adornments in this salon are executed by the first artists of the day1 and with a total disregard of expense1 so that it is not to be wondered at that they are beautiful4 ,military trophies are mingled with the decorations1 the whole on a white ground1 and richly ornamented with gilding4 ,the ,seine1 with its boats1 and the gay scene of the ,tuilerie ,gardens1 are reflected in the mirrors opposite to the windows1 while the groups on the panels are seen in the others4 ,nothing can exceed the beauty of this room1 in which such fine proportion1 architectural decoration1 and exquisite finish reign1 that the eye dwells on it with delight1 and can trace no defect4 ,the door on the right-hand end1 on entering1 opens to a less richly ornamented salon1 inside which are two admirable bed-chambers and dressing-rooms1 communicating by an escalier drob with a suite of servants' apartments4 ,the door on the left-hand end of the large salon opens into a beautiful room1 known as the ,salle de la ,victoire1 from its being decorated by paintings allegorical of ,victory4 ,this apartment is lighted by two large windows1 and opposite to them is a deep recess1 or alcove4 ,a cornice extends around the room1 about four feet beneath the ceiling1 and is supported by white columns1 projecting into the chamber1 on each of which stands a figure of ,victory offering a wreath of laurels4 ,this cornice divides the room from the recess before mentioned4 ,the chimney-piece is in a recess1 with columns on each side2 and the large mirror over it1 and which is finished by the cornice1 is faced by a similar one1 also in a recess1 with white columns1 standing on a plinth on each side4 ,the windows are finished by the former cornice1 that extends round the rooms1 and have similar columns on each side with ,victories on them1 and a mirror between4 ,the room is white and gold1 with delicate arabesques1 and medallions exquisitely painted4 ,this salon communicates with a corridor behind it1 which admits the attendance of servants without the necessity of their passing through the other apartments4 ,inside this salon is a chambre coucher1 that looks as if intended for some youthful queen1 so beautiful are its decorations4 ,a recess1 the frieze of which rests on two white columns with silvered capitals1 is meant to receive a bed4 ,one side of the room is panelled with mirrors1 divided by pilasters with silver capitals2 and on the opposite side1 on which is the chimney1 similar panels occupy the same space4 ,the colour of the apartment is a light blue1 with silver mouldings to all the panels1 and delicate arabesques of silver4 ,the chimney-piece and dogs for the wood have silvered ornaments to correspond4 ,inside this chamber is the dressing-room1 which is of an octagon shape1 and panelled likewise with mirrors1 in front of each of which are white marble slabs to correspond with that of the chimney-piece4 ,the mouldings and architectural decorations are silvered1 and arabesques of flowers are introduced4 ,this room opens into a salle de bain of an elliptical form2 the bath1 of white marble1 is sunk in the pavement1 which is tessellated4 ,from the ceiling immediately over the bath hangs an alabaster lamp1 held by the beak of a dove2 the rest of the ceiling being painted with ,cupids throwing flowers4 ,the room is panelled with alternate mirrors and groups of allegorical subjects finely executed2 and is lighted by one window1 composed of a single plate of glass opening into a little spot of garden secluded from the rest4 ,a small library completes the suite ,i have described1 all the apartments of which are on the ground floor4 ,there are several other rooms in a wing in the court-yard1 and the whole are in perfect order4 ,i remembered to-day1 when standing in the principal drawing-room1 the tragic scene narrated to me by ,sir ,robert ,wilson as having taken place there1 when he had an interview with the ,princesse de la ,moskowa1 after the condemnation of her brave husband4 ,he told me1 years ago1 how the splendour of the decorations of the salon--decorations meant to commemorate the military glory of the ,marchal ,ney--added to the tragic effect of the scene in which that noble-minded woman1 overwhelmed with horror and grief1 turned away with a shudder from objects that so forcibly reminded her of the brilliant past1 and so fearfully contrasted with the terrible present4 ,he described to me the silence1 broken only by the sobs that heaved her agonised bosom2 the figures of the few trusted friends permitted to enter the presence of the distracted wife1 moving about with noiseless steps1 as if fearful of disturbing the sacredness of that grief to offer consolation for which they felt their tongues could form no words1 so deeply did their hearts sympathise with it4 ,he told me that the images of these friends in the vast mirrors looked ghostly in the dim twilight of closed blinds1 the very light of day having become insupportable to the broken-hearted wife1 so soon to be severed for ever1 and by a violent death1 from the husband she adored4 ,ah1 if these walls could speak1 what agony would they reveal6 and if mirrors could retain the shadows replete with despair they once reflected1 who dare look on them8 ,i thought of all this to-day1 until the tears came into my eyes1 and ,i almost determined not to hire the house1 so powerfully did the recollection of the past affect me3 but ,i remembered that such is the fate of mankind2 that there are no houses in which scenes of misery have not taken place1 and in which breaking hearts have not been ready to prompt the exclamation ,there is no sorrow like mine4 ,how is the agony of such moments increased by the recollection that in the same chamber where such bitter grief now reigns1 joy and pleasure once dwelt1 and that those who shared it can bless us no more6 ,how like a cruel mockery1 then1 appear the splendour and beauty of all that meets the eye1 unchanged as when it was in unison with our feelings1 but which now jars so fearfully with them6 ,i wonder not that the bereaved wife fled from this house1 where every object reminded her of a husband so fondly loved1 so fearfully lost1 to mourn in some more humble abode over the fate of him who could no more resist the magical influence of the presence of that glorious chief1 who had so often led him to victory1 than the war-horse can resist being animated by the sound of that trumpet which has often excited the proud animal into ardour4 ,peace be to thy manes1 gallant ,ney2 and if thy spirit be permitted to look down on this earth1 it will be soothed by the knowledge that the wife of thy bosom has remained faithful to thy memory2 and that thy sons1 worthy of their sire--brave1 noble1 and generous-hearted--are devoted to their country1 for which thou hadst so often fought and bled6 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,to my surprise and pleasure1 ,i find that a usage exists at ,paris which ,i have nowhere else met with1 namely1 that of letting out rich and fine furniture by the quarter1 half1 or whole year1 in any quantity required for even the largest establishment1 and on the shortest notice4 ,i feared that we should be compelled to buy furniture1 or else to put up with an inferior sort1 little imagining that the most costly can be procured on hire1 and even a large mansion made ready for the reception of a family in forty-eight hours4 ,this is really like ,aladdin's lamp1 and is a usage that merits being adopted in all capitals4 ,we have made an arrangement1 that if we decide on remaining in ,paris more than a year1 and wish to purchase the furniture1 the sum agreed to be paid for the year's hire is to be allowed in the purchase-money1 which is to be named when the inventory is made out4 ,we saw the house for the first time yesterday2 engaged it to-day for a year2 to-morrow1 the upholsterer will commence placing the furniture in it2 and to-morrow night we are to sleep in it4 ,this is surely being very expeditious1 and saves a world of trouble as well as of wailing4 ,spent last evening at ,madame ,craufurd's4 ,met there the ,prince and ,princesse ,castelcicala1 with their daughter1 who is a very handsome woman4 ,the ,prince was a long time ,ambassador from ,naples at the ,court of ,st4 ,james1 and he now fills the same station at that of ,france4 ,the ,princesse is sister to our friend ,prince ,ischetella at ,naples1 and1 like all her country-women1 appears sensible and unaffected4 ,she and ,mademoiselle ,dorotea speak ,english perfectly well1 and profess a great liking to ,england and its inhabitants4 ,the ,dowager ,lady ,hawarden1 the ,marquise de ,brehan1 the ,baroness d',etlingen1 ,madame d',ocaris1 ,lady ,barbara ,craufurd1 and ,lady ,combermere1 composed the rest of the female portion of the party4 ,lady ,hawarden has been very pretty3 what a melancholy phrase is this same has been6 ,the ,marquise de ,brehan is still a very fine woman2 ,lady ,combermere is very agreeable1 and sings with great expression2 and the rest of the ladies1 always excepting ,lady ,barbara ,craufurd1 who is very pretty1 were very much like most other ladies of a certain time of life--addicted to silks and blondes1 and well aware of their relative prices4 ,madame ,craufurd is very amusing4 ,with all the navet of a child1 she possesses a quick perception of character and a freshness of feeling rarely found in a person of her advanced age1 and her observations are full of originality4 ,the tone of society at ,paris is very agreeable4 ,literature1 the fine arts1 and the general occurrences of the day1 furnish the topics for conversation1 from which ill-natured remarks are exploded4 ,a ceremoniousness of manner1 reminding one of la ,vieille ,cour1 and probably rendered la mode by the restoration of the ,bourbons1 prevails2 as well as a strict observance of deferential respect from the men towards the women1 while these last seem to assume that superiority accorded to them in manner1 if not entertained in fact1 by the sterner sex4 ,the attention paid by young men to old women in ,parisian society is very edifying1 and any breach of it would be esteemed nothing short of a crime4 ,this attention is net evinced by any flattery1 except the most delicate--a profound silence when these belles of other days recount anecdotes of their own times1 or comment on the occurrences of ours1 or by an alacrity to perform the little services of picking up a fallen mouchoir de poche1 bouquet1 or fan1 placing a shawl1 or handing to a carriage4 ,if flirtations exist at ,paris1 they certainly are not exhibited in public2 and those between whom they are supposed to be established observe a ceremonious decorum towards each other1 well calculated to throw discredit on the supposition4 ,this appearance of reserve may be termed hypocrisy2 nevertheless1 even the semblance of propriety is advantageous to the interests of society2 and the entire freedom from those marked attentions1 engrossing conversations1 and from that familiarity of manner often permitted in ,england1 without even a thought of evil on the part of the women who permit these indiscretions1 leaves to ,parisian circles an air of greater dignity and decorum1 although ,i am not disposed to admit that the persons who compose them really possess more dignity or decorum than my compatriots4 ,count ,charles de ,mornay was presented to me to-day4 ,having heard of him only as-- ,the glass of fashion and the mould of form1 ,the observed of all observers1 ,i was agreeably surprised to find him one of the most witty1 well-informed1 and agreeable young men ,i have ever seen4 ,gay without levity1 well-read without pedantry1 and good-looking without vanity4 ,of how few young men of fashion could this be said6 ,but ,i am persuaded that ,count ,charles de ,mornay is made to be something better than a mere man of fashion4 ,spent all the morning in the ,htel ,ney1 superintending the placing of the furniture4 ,there is nothing so like the magicians we read of as ,parisian upholsterers2 for no sooner have they entered a house1 than1 as if touched by the hand of the enchanter1 it assumes a totally different aspect4 ,i could hardly believe my eyes when ,i entered our new dwelling1 to-day4 ,already were the carpets--and such carpets1 too--laid down on the salons2 the curtains were hung2 consoles1 sofas1 tables1 and chairs placed1 and lustres suspended4 ,in short1 the rooms looked perfectly habitable4 ,the principal drawing-room has a carpet of dark crimson with a gold-coloured border1 on which is a wreath of flowers that looks as if newly culled from the garden1 so rich1 varied1 and bright are their hues4 ,the curtains are of crimson satin1 with embossed borders of gold-colour2 and the sofas1 bergres1 fauteuils1 and chairs1 richly carved and gilt1 are covered with satin to correspond with the curtains4 ,gilt consoles1 and chiffonnires1 with white marble tops1 are placed wherever they could be disposed2 and1 on the chimney pieces1 are fine pendules4 ,the next drawing-room1 which ,i have appropriated as my sitting-room1 is furnished with blue satin1 with rich white flowers4 ,it has a carpet of a chocolate-coloured ground with a blue border1 round which is a wreath of bright flowers1 and carved and gilt sofas1 bergres1 and fauteuils1 covered with blue satin like the curtains4 ,the recess we have lined with fluted blue silk1 with a large mirror placed in the centre of it1 and five beautiful buhl cabinets around1 on which ,i intend to dispose all my treasures of old ,svre china1 and ruby glass4 ,i was told by the upholsterer1 that he had pledged himself to milord that miladi was not to see her chambre coucher1 or dressing-room1 until they were furnished4 ,this ,i well knew was some scheme laid by ,lord ,b4 to surprise me1 for he delights in such plans4 ,he will not tell me what is doing in the rooms1 and refuses all my entreaties to enter them1 but shakes his head1 and says he thinks ,i will be pleased when ,i see them2 and so ,i think1 too1 for the only complaint ,i ever have to make of his taste is its too great splendour--a proof of which he gave me when ,i went to ,mountjoy ,forest on my marriage1 and found my private sitting-room hung with crimson ,genoa silk velvet1 trimmed with gold bullion fringe1 and all the furniture of equal richness--a richness that was only suited to a state room in a palace4 ,we feel like children with a new plaything1 in our beautiful house2 but how1 after it1 shall we ever be able to reconcile ourselves to the comparatively dingy rooms in ,st4 ,james's ,square1 which no furniture or decoration could render any thing like the ,htel ,ney8 ,the ,duc and ,duchesse de ,guiche leave ,paris1 to my great regret1 in a few days1 and will be absent six weeks4 ,he is to command the encampment at ,luneville1 and she is to do the honours--giving dinners1 balls1 concerts1 and soires1 to the ladies who accompany their lords to the tented field1 and to the numerous visitors who resort to see it4 ,they have invited us to go to them1 but we cannot accept their kindness4 ,they are ,on hospitable thoughts intent1 and will1 ,i doubt not1 conciliate the esteem of all with whom they come in contact4 ,he is so well bred1 that the men pardon his superiority both of person and manner2 and she is so warm-hearted and amiable1 that the women1 with a few exceptions1 forgive her rare beauty4 ,how we shall miss them1 and the dear children1 too6 ,drove in the ,bois de ,boulogne yesterday1 with the ,duchesse de ,guiche3 met my old acquaintance1 ,lord ,yarmouth1 who is as amusing and original as ever4 ,he has great natural talent and knowledge of the world1 but uses both to little purpose1 save to laugh at its slaves4 ,he might be any thing he chose1 but he is too indolent for exertion1 and seems to think le jeu ne vaut pas la chandelle4 ,he is one of the many clever people spoilt by being born to a great fortune and high rank1 advantages which exclude the necessity of exercising the talents he possesses4 ,it is1 however1 no trifling merit1 that born to immense wealth and high station1 he should he wholly free from arrogance1 or ostentation4 ,at length1 the secret is out1 the doors of my chambre coucher and dressing-room are opened1 and ,i am delighted with both4 ,the whole fitting up is in exquisite taste1 and1 as usual1 when my most gallant of all gallant husbands that it ever fell to the happy lot of woman to possess1 interferes1 no expense has been spared4 ,the bed1 which is silvered1 instead of gilt1 rests on the backs of two large silver swans1 so exquisitely sculptured that every feather is in alto-relievo1 and looks nearly as fleecy as those of the living bird4 ,the recess in which it is placed is lined with white fluted silk1 bordered with blue embossed lace2 and from the columns that support the frieze of the recess1 pale blue silk curtains1 lined with white1 are hung1 which1 when drawn1 conceal the recess altogether4 ,the window curtain is of pale blue silk1 with embroidered muslin curtains1 trimmed with lace inside them1 and have borders of blue and white lace to match those of the recess4 ,a silvered sofa has been made to fit the side of the room opposite the fire-place1 near to which stands a most inviting bergre4 ,an critoire occupies one panel1 a bookstand the other1 and a rich coffer for jewels forms a pendant to a similar one for lace1 or ,india shawls4 ,a carpel of uncut pile1 of a pale blue1 a silver lamp1 and a ,psyche glass1 the ornaments silvered to correspond with the decorations of the chamber1 complete the furniture4 ,the hangings of the dressing-room are of blue silk1 covered with lace1 and trimmed with rich frills of the same material1 as are also the dressing-stools and chaise longue1 and the carpet and lamp are similar to those of the bed-room4 ,a toilette table stands before the window1 and small jardinires are placed in front of each panel of looking-glass1 but so low as not to impede a full view of the person dressing in this beautiful little sanctuary4 ,the salle de bain is draped with white muslin trimmed with lace1 and the sofa and bergre are covered with the same4 ,the bath is of white marble1 inserted in the floor1 with which its surface is level4 ,on the ceiling over it1 is a painting of ,flora scattering flowers with one hand while from the other is suspended an alabaster lamp1 in the form of a lotos4 ,a more tasteful or elegant suite of apartments cannot be imagined2 and all this perfection of furniture has been completed in three days6 ,lord ,b4 has all the merit of the taste1 and the upholsterer that of the rapidity and excellence of the execution4 ,the effect of the whole suite is chastely beautiful2 and a queen could desire nothing better for her own private apartments4 ,few queens1 most probably1 ever had such tasteful ones4 ,our kind friend1 ,charles ,mills1 has arrived from ,rome1--amiable and agreeable as ever4 ,he dined with us yesterday1 and we talked over the pleasant days spent in the ,vigna ,palatina1 his beautiful villa4 ,breakfasted to-day in the ,rue d',anjou1 a take-leave repast given to the ,duc and ,duchesse de ,guiche by ,madame ,craufurd4 ,lady ,barbara and ,colonel ,craufurd were of the party1 which was the only triste one ,i have seen in that house4 ,the ,duc de ,gramont was there1 and joined in the regret we all felt at seeing our dear friends drive away4 ,it was touching to behold ,madame ,craufurd1 kissing again and again her grandchildren and great-grandchildren1 the tears streaming down her cheeks1 and the venerable ,duc de ,gramont1 scarcely less moved1 embracing his son and daughter-in-law1 and exhorting the latter to take care of her health1 while the dear little ,ida1 his granddaughter1 not yet two years old1 patted his cheeks1 and smiled in his face4 ,it is truly delightful to witness the warm affection that subsists between relatives in ,france1 and the dutiful and respectful attention paid by children to their parents4 ,in no instance have ,i seen this more strongly exemplified than in the ,duc and ,duchesse de ,guiche1 whose unceasing tenderness towards the good ,duc de ,gramont not only makes his happiness1 but is gratifying to all who behold it1 as is also their conduct to ,madame ,craufurd4 ,i wish the encampment was over1 and those dear friends back again4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,took possession of our new house to-day1 and are delighted with it4 ,its repose and quiet are very agreeable1 after the noise and bustle of the ,rue de ,rivoli4 ,spent several hours in superintending the arrangement of my books1 china1 bijouterie1 and flowers1 and the rooms look as habitable as if we had lived in them for weeks4 ,how fortunate we are to have found so charming an abode6 ,a chasm here occurs in my journal1 occasioned by the arrival of some dear relatives from ,england1 with whom ,i was too much occupied to have time to journalise4 ,what changes five years effect in young people6 ,the dear girls ,i left children are now grown into women1 but are as artless and affectionate as in childhood4 ,i could hardly believe my eyes when ,i saw them1 yet ,i soon traced the same dear countenances1 and marvelled that though changed from the round1 dimpled ones of infancy1 to the more delicate oval of maidenly beauty1 the expression of gaiety and innocence of their faces is still the same4 ,a week has passed rapidly by1 and now that they have returned to ,england1 their visit appears like a dream4 ,i wish it had been longer1 for ,i have seen only enough of them to wish to see a great deal more4 ,the good ,mrs4 ,w4 and her lively1 clever1 and her pretty daughter1 ,mrs4 ,r41 dined with us yesterday4 ,they are en route for ,england1 but give many a sigh to dear ,italy4 ,it was pleasant to talk over the happy days passed there1 which we did with that tender regret with which the past is always referred to by those who have sensibility1 and they possess no ordinary portion of this lovable quality4 ,les ,dames ,bellegarde also dined with us1 and they ,english friends took a mutual fancy to each other4 ,i like the ,bellegardes exceedingly4 ,our old friend1 ,lord ,lilford1 is at ,paris1 and is as amiable and kind-hearted as ever4 ,he dined with us yesterday1 and we talked over the pleasant days we spent at ,florence4 ,well-educated1 and addicted to neither of the prevalent follies of the day1 racing nor gaming1 he only requires a little ambition to prompt him to exertion1 in order to become a useful1 as well as an agreeable member of the community1 but with a good fortune and rank1 he requires an incentive to action4 ,met last evening at ,madame ,craufurd's the ,marquis and ,marquise ,zamperi of ,bologna4 ,she is pretty and agreeable1 and he is original and amusing4 ,they were very civil1 and expressed regret at not having been at ,bologna when we were there4 ,had a visit from ,count ,alexandre de ,laborde to-day4 ,his conversation is lively and entertaining4 ,full of general information and good sense1 he is no niggard in imparting the results of both to those with whom he comes in contact1 and talks fluently1 if not always faultlessly1 in ,italian and ,english4 ,the ,marquis de ,mornay and his brother ,count ,charles de ,mornay dined here yesterday4 ,how many associations of the olden time are recalled by this ancient and noble name1 ,mornay du ,plessis6 ,the ,marquis is agreeable1 sensible1 well-informed1 and well-bred4 ,though justly proud of his high descent1 the consciousness of it is never rendered visible by any symptom of that arrogance too often met with in those who have less cause for pride1 and can only be traced by a natural dignity and bearing1 worthy a descendant of the noble ,sully4 ,count ,charles de ,mornay is a very remarkable young man4 ,with a brilliant wit1 the sallies of which can set the table in a roar2 it is never used at the expense of others1 and1 when he chooses to be grave1 the quickness and justice of his perception1 and the fine tact and good sense which mark his reflections1 betray a mind of no common order1 and give the promise of future distinction4 ,nothing can be more agreeable than the mode in which ,i pass my time here4 ,i read from nine until twelve3 order the household arrangements1 and inspect the menu at twelve3 write letters or journalise from one until four2 drive out till six or half-past2 return home1 dress1 dine1 pay visits1 or receive them at home1 and get to bed at one o'clock4 ,how much preferable is the ,french system of evening visits1 to the ,english custom of morning ones1 which cut up time so abominably6 ,few who have lived much abroad could submit patiently to have their mornings broken in upon1 when evening1 which is the most suitable time for relaxation1 can be enlivened by the visits that are irksome at other hours4 ,paris is now nearly as empty as ,london is in ,september2 all the lite of ,french fashionable society having taken their departure for their country houses1 or for the different baths they frequent4 ,i1 who like not crowds1 prefer ,paris at this season to any other1 and shall be rather sorry than glad when it fills again4 ,madame ,craufurd1 ,lady ,barbara and ,colonel ,craufurd1 the ,ducs de ,gramont1 ,dalberg1 and ,mouchy1 dined with us yesterday4 ,we had music in the evening1 ,the ,duc ,dalberg is agreeable and well-bred1 and his manner has that suavity1 mingled with reserve1 said to be peculiar to those who have lived much at courts1 and filled diplomatic situations4 ,the ,duc was ,minister ,plenipotentiary from ,baden at ,paris1 when ,napoleon was ,first ,consul1 and escaped not censure on the occasion of the seizure of the unfortunate ,duc d',enghien2 of the intention of which it was thought he ought to have apprised his court1 and so have prevented an event which has entailed just blame on all concerned in it1 as well as on some who were innocent4 ,there is nothing in the character of the ,duc ,dalberg to warrant a belief of his being capable of lending himself to aught that was disloyal1 for he is an excellent man in all the relations of life1 and is esteemed and respected by as large a circle of friends as most persons who have filled high situations can boast of4 ,the ,duc de ,mouchy is a very amiable as well as high-bred man2 he has been in ,england1 and speaks ,english with fluency4 ,letters from the camp of ,luneville1 received from our dear friends to-day1 give a very animated description of their doings there4 ,the ,duc de ,mouchy told me yesterday that they were winning golden opinions from all with whom they came in contact there1 by their urbanity and hospitality4 ,he said that people were not prepared to find the handsomest and most fashionable woman at ,paris1 the observed of all observers1 and the brightest ornament of the ,french court1 doing the honours to the wives of the officers of the camp with an amiability that has captivated them all4 ,the good ,duc de ,gramont was delighted at hearing this account1 for never was there a more affectionate father4 ,went with a party yesterday to ,montmorency4 ,madame ,craufurd1 the ,comtesse de ,gand1 the ,baronne d',ellingen1 ,comte ,f4 de ,belmont1 and our own circle1 formed the party4 ,it was gratifying to witness how much dear ,madame ,craufurd enjoyed the excursion2 she even rode on a donkey through the woods1 and the youngest person of the party did not enter into the amusement with more spirit and gaiety4 ,montmorency is a charming place1 but not so the road to it1 which1 being paved1 is very tiresome4 ,we visited the hermitage where ,rousseau wrote so many of his works1 but in which this strange and unhappy man found not that peace so long sought by him in vain1 and to which his own wayward temper and suspicious nature offered an insurmountable obstacle4 ,as ,i sat in this humble abode1 and looked around on the objects once familiar to his eyes1 ,i could not resist the sentiment of pity that filled my breast1 at the recollection that even in this tranquil asylum1 provided by friendship #b1 and removed from the turmoil of the busy world1 so repugnant to his taste1 the jealousies1 the heart-burnings1 and the suspicions1 that empoisoned his existence followed him1 rendering his life not only a source of misery to himself1 but of pain to others2 for no one ever conferred kindness on him without becoming the object of his suspicion1 if not of his aversion4 ,the life of ,rousseau is one of the most humiliating episodes in the whole history of literary men1 and the most calculated to bring genius into disrepute3 yet the misery he endured more than avenged the wrongs he inflicted2 and1 while admiring the productions of a genius1 of which even his enemies could not deny him the possession1 we are more than ever compelled to avow how unavailing is this glorious gift to confer happiness on its owner1 or to secure him respect or esteem1 if unaccompanied by goodness4 ,who can reflect on the life of this man without a sense of the danger to which ,genius exposes its children1 and a pity for their sufferings1 though too often self-inflicted8 ,alas6 the sensibility which is one of the most invariable characteristics of ,genius1 and by which its most glorious efforts are achieved1 if excited into unhealthy action by over-exercise1 not unseldom renders its possessor unreasonable and wretched1 while his works are benefiting or delighting others1 and while the very persons who most highly appreciate them are often the least disposed to pardon the errors of their author4 ,as the dancer1 by the constant practice of her art1 soon loses that roundness of contour which is one of the most beautiful peculiarities of her sex1 the muscles of the legs becoming unnaturally developed at the expense of the rest of the figure1 so does the man of genius1 by the undue exercise of this gift1 acquire an irritability that soon impairs the temper1 and renders his excess of sensibility a torment to himself and to others4 ,the solitude necessary to the exercise of ,genius is another fruitful source of evil to its children4 ,abstracted from the world1 they are apt to form a false estimate of themselves and of it1 and to entertain exaggerated expectations from it4 ,their morbid feelings are little able to support the disappointment certain to ensue1 and they either rush into a reprisal of imaginary wrongs1 by satire on others1 or inflict torture on themselves by the belief1 often erroneous1 of the injuries they have sustained4 ,i remembered in this abode a passage in one of the best letters ever written by ,rousseau1 and addressed to ,voltaire1 on the subject of his poem1 entitled ,sur la ,loi ,naturelle1 et sur le ,dsastre de ,lisbonne2 in which1 referring to an assertion of ,voltaire's that few persons would wish to live over again on the condition of enduring the same trials1 and which ,rousseau combats by urging that it is only the rich1 fatigued by their pleasures1 or literary men1 of whom he writes--,des gens de lettres1 de tous les ordres d'hommes le plus sdentaire1 le plus malsain1 le plus rflchissant1 et1 par consquent1 le plus malheureux1 who would decline to live over again1 had they the power4 ,this description of men of letters1 written by one of themselves1 is a melancholy1 but1 alas6 a true one1 and should console the enviers of genius for the want of a gift that but too often entails such misery on its possessors4 ,the church of ,montmorency is a good specimen of ,gothic architecture1 and greatly embellishes the little town1 which is built on the side of a hill1 and commands a delicious view of the chestnut forest and valley1 clothed with pretty villas1 that render it so much and so justly admired4 ,it was amusing to listen to the diversity of opinions entertained by our party relative to ,rousseau1 as we wandered through the scenes which he so often frequented2 each individual censuring or defending him1 according to the bias of his or her disposition4 ,on one point all agreed2 which was1 that1 if judged by his actions1 little could be said in mitigation of the conduct of him who1 while writing sentiments fraught with passion and tenderness1 could consign his offspring to a foundling hospital6 ,having visited every object worthy of attention at ,montmorency1 we proceeded to ,enghien1 to examine the baths established there4 ,the building is of vast extent1 containing no less than forty chambers1 comfortably furnished for the accommodation of bathers2 and a good restaurateur furnishes the repasts4 ,the apartments command a beautiful view1 and the park of ,st4-,gratien offers a delightful promenade to the visitors of ,enghien4 ,our route back to ,paris was rendered very agreeable by the lively and clever conversation of the ,comtesse de ,gand4 ,i have rarely met with a more amusing person4 ,with a most retentive memory1 she possesses the tact that does not always accompany this precious gift--that of only repeating what is perfectly propos and interesting1 with a fund of anecdotes that might form an inexhaustible capital for a professional diner-out to set up with2 an ill-natured one never escapes her lips1 and yet--hear it all ye who believe1 or act as if ye believe1 that malice and wit are inseparable allies6--it would be difficult to find a more entertaining and lively companion4 ,our old friend1 ,col4 ,e4 ,lygon1 came to see us to-day1 and is as amiable as ever4 ,he is a specimen of a military man of which ,england may well be proud4 ,the ,ducs de ,talleyrand and ,dino1 the ,marquis de ,mornay1 the ,marquis de ,dreux-,brez1 and ,count ,charles de ,mornay1 dined here yesterday4 ,the ,marquis de ,brez is a clever man1 and his conversation is highly interesting4 ,well-informed and sensible1 he has directed much of his attention to politics without being1 as is too often the case with politicians1 wholly engrossed by them4 ,he appears to me to be a man likely to distinguish himself in public life4 ,there could not be found two individuals more dissimilar1 or more formed for furnishing specimens of the noblemen of la ,vieille ,cour and the present time1 than the ,duc de ,talleyrand and the ,marquis de ,dreux-,brez4 ,the ,duc1 well-dressed and well-bred1 but offering in his toilette and in his manners irrefragable evidence that both have been studied1 and his conversation bearing that high polish and urbanity which1 if not always characteristics of talent1 conceal the absence of it1 represents l'ancien rgime1 when les grands seigneurs were more desirous to serve les belles dames than their country1 and more anxious to be distinguished in the salons of the ,faubourg ,st4-,germain than in the ,chambre de ,parlement4 ,the ,marquis de ,dreux-,brez1 well-dressed and well-bred1 too1 appears not to have studied either his toilette or his manners2 and1 though by no means deficient in polite attention to women1 seems to believe that there are higher and more praiseworthy pursuits than that of thinking only how to please them1 and bestows more thought on the ,chambre des ,pairs than on the salons la mode4 ,one is a passive and ornamental member of society1 the other a useful and active politician1 ,i have remarked that the ,frenchmen of high birth of the present time all seem disposed to take pains in fitting themselves for the duties of their station4 ,they read much and with profit1 travel much more than formerly1 and are free from the narrow prejudices against other countries1 which1 while they prove not a man's attachment to his own1 offer one of the most insurmountable of all barriers to that good understanding so necessary to be maintained between nations4 ,dined yesterday at ,st4-,cloud with the ,baron and ,baroness de ,ruysch2 a very agreeable and intellectual pair1 who have made a little paradise around them in the shape of an ,english pleasure ground1 blooming with rare shrubs and flowers4 ,our old friend1 ,mr4 ,douglas ,kinnaird--the honourable ,dug1 as poor ,lord ,byron used to call him--paid me a visit to-day4 ,i had not seen him for seven years1 and these same years have left their traces on his brow4 ,he is in delicate health1 and is only come over to ,paris for a very few days4 ,he has lived in the same scenes and in the same routine that we left him1 wholly engrossed by them1 while ,i've taught me other tongues1 and in strange eyes ,have made me not a stranger2 and wonder how people can be content to dwell whole years in so circumscribed1 however useful1 a circle4 ,those who live much in ,london seem to me to have tasted the lotus which1 according to the fable of old1 induced forgetfulness of the past1 so wholly are they engrossed by the present1 and by the vortex in which they find themselves plunged4 ,much as ,i like ,england1 and few love it more dearly1 ,i should not like to pass all the rest of my life in it4 ,all1 all3 it is thus we ever count on futurity1 reckoning as if our lives were certain of being prolonged1 when we know not that the all on which we so boldly calculate may not be terminated in a day1 nay1 even in an hour4 ,who is there that can boast an ,english birth1 that would not wish to die at home and rest in an ,english grave8 ,sir ,francis ,burdett has arrived1 and means to stay some time here4 ,he called on us yesterday with ,colonel ,leicester ,stanhope1 and is as agreeable and good-natured as ever4 ,he is much fted at ,paris1 and receives great attention from the ,duc d',orlans1 who has offered him his boxes at the theatres1 and shews him all manner of civilities4 ,colonel ,leicester ,stanhope gave me some interesting details of poor ,byron's last days in ,greece1 and seems to have duly appreciated his many fine qualities1 in spite of the errors that shrouded but could not eclipse them4 ,the fine temper and good breeding that seem to be characteristic of the ,stanhope family1 have not degenerated in this branch of it2 and his manner1 as well as his voice and accent1 remind me very forcibly of my dear old friend his father1 who is one of the most amiable1 as well as agreeable men ,i ever knew1 and who ,i look forward with pleasure to meeting on my return home4 ,the ,marquise ,palavicini from ,genoa1 her daughter-in-law the ,princesse ,doria1 sir ,francis ,burdett1 and ,colonel ,leicester ,stanhope1 dined with us yesterday4 ,the marquise ,palavicini is a very sensible and agreeable woman1 and the ,princesse ,doria is very pretty and amiable4 ,like most of her countrywomen1 this young and attractive person is wholly free from that affectation which deteriorates from so many of the women of other countries2 and the simplicity of her manner1 which is as remote from gaucherie as it is from affectation1 invests her with a peculiar charm4 ,we talked over ,genoa1 where we have spent so many pleasant days1 and the beautiful gardens of the villa ,palavicini1 the possession of which has always tempted me to envy its owner4 ,i have never passed an hour in the society of ,italian women without feeling the peculiar charm of their manner1 and wishing that its ease and simplicity were more generally adopted4 ,the absence of any effort to shine1 the gentleness without insipidity1 the liveliness without levity1 and above all1 the perfect good nature that precludes aught that could be disagreeable to others1 form the distinguishing characteristics of the manner of ,italian women from the princess to the peasant1 and are alike practised by both towards all with whom they converse4 ,lord ,darnley and ,lord ,charlemont dined here yesterday4 ,it is pleasant to see old and familiar faces again1 even though the traces of ,time on their brows recall to mind the marks which the ruthless tyrant must have inflicted on our own4 ,we all declared that we saw no change in each other1 but the looks of surprise and disappointment exchanged at meeting contradicted the assertion4 ,mr4 ,charles ,young1 the tragedian1 dined here to-day4 ,we were very glad to see him again1 for he is a very estimable as well as agreeable member of society1 and reflects honour on his profession4 ,lord ,lansdowne came here with ,count ,flahault this evening4 ,it is now seven years since ,i last saw him1 but time has dealt kindly with him during that period1 as it ever does to those who possess equanimity of mind and health of body4 ,lord ,lansdowne has always appeared to me to be peculiarly formed for a statesman4 ,with a fortune that exempts him from incurring even the suspicion of mercenary motives for holding office1 and a rank which precludes that of entertaining the ambition of seeking a higher1 he is free from the angry passions that more or loss influence the generality of other men4 ,to an unprejudiced mind1 he joins self-respect without arrogance1 self-possession without effrontery1 solid and general information1 considerable power of application to business1 a calm and gentlemanly demeanour1 and an urbanity of manner which1 while it conciliates good will1 never descends to1 or encourages1 familiarity4 ,a lover and liberal patron of the fine arts1 he is an encourager of literature1 and partial to the society of literary men2 irreproachable in private life1 and respected in public1 what is there wanting to render him faultless8 ,i1 who used to enjoy a good deal of his society in ,england1 am of opinion1 that the sole thing wanting is the warmth and cordiality of manner which beget friends and retain partisans1 and without which no minister can count on constant supporters4 ,it is a curious circumstance1 that the political party to which ,lord ,lansdowne is opposed can boast a man among those most likely to hold the reins of government1 to whom all that ,i have said of ,lord ,lansdowne might1 with little modification1 be applied4 ,i refer to ,sir ,robert ,peel1 whose acquaintance ,i enjoyed in ,england2 and who is much younger1 and perhaps bolder1 than ,lord ,lansdowne4 ,happy1 in my opinion1 is the country which possesses such men2 though the friends and admirers of each would probably feel little disposed to admit any comparison to be instituted between them1 and would deride1 if not assail1 any one for making it4 ,sir ,francis ,burdell dined here yesterday1 and we had the ,count ,alexandra de ,laborde and ,count ,charles de ,mornay1 to meet him4 ,several people came in the evening4 ,i have lent a pile of books to ,sir ,f4 ,b41 who continues to read as much as formerly1 and forgets nothing that he peruses4 ,his information is1 consequently1 very extensive1 and renders his conversation very interesting4 ,his thirst for knowledge is insatiable1 and leads him to every scientific resort where it may be gratified4 ,spent last evening at ,madame ,craufurd's4 ,met there1 the ,princesse ,castelcicala and her daughter1 ,lady ,drummond1 ,mr4 ,t4 ,steuart1 and various others--among them1 a daughter of the ,marquess of ,ailesbury1 who has married a ,french nobleman1 and resides in ,paris4 ,lady ,drummond talked to me a good deal of ,sir ,william1 and evinced much respect for his memory4 ,she is proud1 and she may well be so1 of having been the wife of such a man2 though there was but little sympathy between their tastes and pursuits1 and his death can produce so little change in her habits of life1 that she can scarcely be said to miss him4 ,he passed his days and the greater portion of his nights in reading or writing1 living in a suite of rooms literally filled with books2 the tables1 chairs1 sofas1 and even the floors1 being encumbered with them1 going out only for a short time in a carriage to get a little air1 or occasionally to dine out4 ,he seldom saw ,lady ,drummond1 except at dinner1 surrounded by a large party4 ,she passed1 as she still passes her time1 in the duties of an elaborate toilette1 paying or receiving visits1 giving or going to ftes1 and playing with her lap-dog4 ,a strange wife for one of the most intellectual men of his day6 ,and yet this total dissimilarity produced no discord between them2 for she was proud of his acquirements1 and he was indulgent to her less spirituelle tastes4 ,lady ,drummond does much good at ,naples2 for1 while the beau monde of that gay capital are entertained in a style of profuse hospitality at her house1 the poor find her charity dispensed with a liberal hand in all their exigencies2 so that her vast wealth is a source of comfort to others as well as to herself4 ,i have been reading ,vivian ,grey--a very wild1 but very clever book1 full of genius in its unpruned luxuriance2 the writer revels in all the riches of a brilliant imagination1 and expends them prodigally--dazzling1 at one moment1 by his passionate eloquence1 and1 at another1 by his touching pathos4 ,a pleasant dinner-party1 yesterday4 ,the ,duc de ,mouchy1 the ,marquis de ,mornay1 ,count ,flahault1 the ,count ,maussion1 ,mons4 de ,montrond1 and ,mr4 ,standish1 were the guests4 ,count ,flahault is so very agreeable and gentlemanly a man1 that no one can call in question the taste of the ,baroness ,keith in selecting him for her husband4 ,mr4 ,standish has married a ,french lady1 accomplished1 clever1 and pretty4 ,intermarriages between ,french and ,english are now not unfrequent2 and it is pleasant to observe the ,french politeness and bon ton ingrafted on ,english sincerity and good sense4 ,of this1 ,mr4 ,standish offers a very good example2 for1 while he has acquired all the ,parisian ruse of manner1 he has retained all the ,english good qualities for which he has always been esteemed4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,charles ,kemble dined here yesterday1 and in the evening read to us his daughter ,fanny's ,tragedy of ,francis the ,first--a very wonderful production for so young a girl4 ,there is considerable vigour in many parts of this work1 and several passages in it reminded me of the old dramatists4 ,the character of ,louisa of ,savoy is forcibly drawn--wonderfully so1 indeed1 when considered as the production of so youthful a person4 ,the constant association with minds deeply imbued with a love of the old writers1 must have greatly influenced the taste of ,miss ,kemble4 ,francis the ,first bears irrefragable evidence that her reading has lain much among the old poets1 and that ,shakspeare is one of her most favourite ones4 ,triboulet1 the king's jester1 may be instanced as an example of this2 and ,margaret of ,valois furnishes another4 ,franoise de ,foix is a more original conception2 timid1 yet fond1 sacrificing her honour to save her brother's life1 but rendered wretched by remorse2 and not able to endure the presence of her affianced husband1 who1 believing her pure and sinless as he left her1 appeals to her1 when ,gonzales reveals her shame4 ,this same ,gonzales1 urged on by vengeance1 and ready to do aught--nay1 more than may become a man1--to seek its gratification1 is a boldly drawn character4 ,the introduction of the poet ,clment ,marot is no less happy than judicious2 and ,miss ,kemble gives him a very beautiful speech1 addressed to his master ,francis the ,first1 in which the charm that reigns about the presence of a pure woman is so eloquently described1 as to have reminded me of the exquisite passage in ,comus1 although there is not any plagiary in ,miss ,kemble's speech4 ,a poetess herself1 she has rendered justice to the character of ,clement ,marot1 whose honest indignation at being employed to bear a letter from the amorous ,francis to the sister of ,lautrec1 she has very gracefully painted4 ,the ,constable ,bourbon is well drawn1 and has some fine speeches assigned to him2 and ,gonzales gives a spirited description of the difference between encountering death in the battle-field1 surrounded by all the spirit-stirring pomp and circumstance of glorious war1 and meeting the grisly tyrant on the scaffold1 attended by all the ignominious accessories of a traitor's doom4 ,this ,tragedy1 when given to the public1 will establish ,miss ,kemble's claims to distinction in the literary world1 and add another laurel to those acquired by her family4 ,there are certain passages in the speeches of ,gonzales1 that1 in my opinion1 require to be revised1 lest they should provoke censures from the fastidious critics of the present time1 who are prone to detect evil of which the authors1 whose works they analyse1 are quite unconscious4 ,innocence sometimes leads young writers to a freedom of expression from which experienced ones would shrink back in alarm2 and the perusal of the old dramatists gives a knowledge of passions1 and of sins1 known only through their medium1 but the skilful developement of which1 subjects a female writer1 and more particularly a youthful one1 to ungenerous animadversion4 ,it is to be hoped1 that the friends of this gifted girl will so prune the luxuriance of her pen1 as to leave nothing to detract from a work so creditable to her genius4 ,charles ,kemble rendered ample justice to his daughter's ,tragedy by his mode of reading it2 and we counted not the hours devoted to the task4 ,how many reminiscences of the olden time were called up by hearing him6 ,i remembered those pleasant evenings when he used to read to us in ,london1 hour after hour1 until the timepiece warned us to give over4 ,i remembered1 too1 ,john ,kemble--the great ,john ,kemble1 as ,lord ,guildford used to call him--twice or thrice reading to us with ,sir ,t4 ,lawrence2 and the tones of ,charles ,kemble's voice1 and the expression of his face1 forcibly reminded me of our departed friend4 ,i have scarcely met with a more high-bred man1 or a more agreeable companion1 than ,charles ,kemble4 ,indeed1 were ,i called on to name the professional men ,i have known most distinguished for good breeding and manners1 ,i should name our four tragedians1--the two ,kembles1 ,young1 and ,macready4 ,sir ,francis ,burdett dined here yesterday en famille1 and we passed two very pleasant hours4 ,he related to us many amusing and interesting anecdotes connected with his political life4 ,went to the ,opera in the evening1 whither he accompanied us4 ,i like my box very much4 ,it is in the centre of the house1 is draped with pale blue silk1 and has very comfortable chairs4 ,the ,parisians are1 ,i find1 as addicted to staring as the ,english2 for many were the glasses levelled last night at ,sir ,francis ,burdett who1 totally unconscious of the attention he excited1 was wholly engrossed by the ,count ,ory1 some of the choruses in which pleased me very much4 ,a visit to-day from our excellent and valued friend1 ,sir ,a4 ,barnard1 who has promised to dine with us to-morrow4 ,paris is now filling very fast1 which ,i regret1 as ,i dislike crowds and having my time broken in upon4 ,i become more convinced every day ,i live1 that quiet and repose are the secrets of happiness1 for ,i never feel so near an approach to this blessing as when in the possession of them4 ,general society is a heavy tax on time and patience1 and one that ,i feel every year less inclination to pay1 as ,i witness the bad effect it produces not only on the habits but on the mind4 ,oh6 the weariness of listening for hours to the repetition of past gaieties1 or the anticipation of future ones1 to the commonplace remarks or stupid conversation of persons whose whole thoughts are engrossed by the frivolous amusements of ,paris1 which are all and every thing to them6 ,how delicious is it to shut out all this weariness1 and with a book1 or a few rationally minded friends1 indulge in an interchange of ideas6 ,but the too frequent indulgence of this sensible mode of existence exposes one to the sarcasms of the frivolous who are avoided4 ,one is deemed a pedant--a terrible charge at ,paris6--or a bas bleu1 which is still worse1 however free the individual may be from any pretensions to merit such charges4 ,paid a visit to the justly celebrated ,mademoiselle ,mars yesterday1 at her beautiful htel in the ,rue de la ,tour des ,dames4 ,i have entertained a wish ever since my return from ,italy1 to become acquainted with this remarkable woman2 and ,mr4 ,young was the medium of accomplishing it4 ,mademoiselle ,mars is even more attractive off the stage than on2 for her countenance beams with intelligence1 and her manners are at once so animated1 yet gentle2 so kind1 yet dignified2 and there is such an inexpressible charm in the tones of her voice1 that no one can approach without being delighted with her4 ,her conversation is highly interesting1 marked by a good sense and good taste that render her knowledge always available1 but never obtrusive4 ,her features are regular and delicate2 her figure1 though inclined to embonpoint1 is very graceful1 and her smile1 like the tones of her voice1 is irresistibly sweet1 and reveals teeth of rare beauty4 ,mademoiselle ,mars1 off the stage1 owes none of her attractions to the artful aid of ornament2 wearing her own dark hair simply arranged1 and her clear brown complexion free from any artificial tinge4 ,in her air and manner is the rare and happy mixture of la grande dame et la femme aimable1 without the slightest shade of affectation4 ,mademoiselle ,mars' htel is the prettiest imaginable4 ,it stands in a court yard1 wholly shut in from the street2 and1 though not vast1 it has all the elegance1 if not the splendour1 of a fine house4 ,nothing can evince a purer taste than this dwelling1 with its decorations and furniture4 ,it contains all that elegance and comfort can require1 without any thing meretricious or gaudy1 and is a temple worthy of the goddess to whom it is dedicated4 ,it has been well observed1 that a just notion of the character of a person can always be formed by the style of his or her dwelling4 ,who can be deceived in the house of a nouveau riche8 ,every piece of furniture in it vouches1 not only for the wealth of its owner1 but that he has not yet got sufficiently habituated to the possession of it1 to be as indifferent to its attributes as are those to whom custom has rendered splendour no longer a pleasure4 ,every thing in the house of ,mademoiselle ,mars bespeaks its mistress to be a woman of highly cultivated mind and of refined habits4 ,the boudoir is in the style of ,louis ,,xiv1 and owes its tasteful decorations to the pencil of ,ciceri4 ,the pictures that ornament it are by ,grard1 and are highly creditable to his reputation4 ,the library serves also as a picture-gallery2 and in it may be seen beautiful specimens of the talents of the most esteemed ,french artists1 offered by them as a homage to this celebrated woman4 ,grard1 ,delacroix1 ,isabey1 ,lany1 ,grvedon1 and other distinguished artists1 have contributed to this valuable collection4 ,a fine portrait of ,madame ,pasta1 and another of ,talma1 with two exquisite pictures of the mother of ,mademoiselle ,mars1 not less remarkable for the rare beauty of the subject than for the merit of the artists1 complete it4 ,one book-case in the library contains only the presentation copies of the pieces in which ,mademoiselle ,mars has performed1 magnificently bound by the authors4 ,on a white marble console in this gallery is placed an interesting memorial of her brilliant theatrical career1 presented to her by the most enthusiastic of its numerous admirers4 ,it consists of a laurel crown1 executed in pure gold2 on the leaves of which are engraved on one side1 the name of each piece in which she appeared1 and1 on the other1 the rle which she acted in it4 ,a very fine statue of ,molire is placed in this apartment4 ,never did two hours glide more rapidly away than those passed in the society of this fascinating woman1 whose presence ,i left penetrated with the conviction that no one can know without admiring her2 and that when she retires from the stage1 we shall not look upon her like again4 ,passed a very agreeable evening1 at ,madame ,craufurd's1 ,met there la ,duchesse de la ,force1 and the usual circle of habitus4 ,talking of theatres1 some of la ,vieille ,cour1 who happened to be present1 remarked on the distinction always made between the female performers of the different ones4 ,those of the ,thtre ,franais were styled ,les ,dames de la ,comdie ,franaise2 those of the ,thtre ,italien1 ,les ,demoiselles du ,thtre ,italien2 and the dancers1 ,les ,filles de l',opra4 ,this last mode of naming les danseuses1 though in later times considered as a reproach1 was1 originally1 meant as an honourable distinction2 the king1 on establishing the ,acadmie ,royale de ,musique1 having obtained the privilege that the performers attached to it should be exempt from excommunication4 ,hence they were named1 ,les ,filles de l',opra1 as persons sometimes said ,les ,filles de la ,reine4 propos of the ,opera1 ,madame ,grassini1 once no less celebrated for her beauty than for her voice1 was of the party last night4 ,she is1 and deservedly1 a general favourite in ,parisian society1 in which her vivacity1 good-nature1 and amiability1 are duly appreciated4 ,her lively sallies and nave remarks are very amusing2 and the frankness and simplicity she has preserved in a profession and position so calculated to induce the reverse1 add to her attractions and give piquancy to her conversation4 ,there are moments in which ,madame ,grassini's countenance becomes lighted up with such animation1 that it seems to be invested with a considerable portion of the rare beauty for which she was so remarkable4 ,her eyes are still glorious1 and1 like those only of the sunny ,south1 can flash with intelligence1 or melt with tenderness4 ,it is when conversing on the grand rles which she filled as prima donna1 that her face lights up as ,i have noticed1--as the war-horse1 when hearing the sound of the trumpet1 remembers the scene of his past glory4 ,when in ,italy1 some years since1 ,madame ,grassini's carriage was stopped by brigands1 who1 having compelled her to descend1 ransacked it and took possession of her splendid theatrical wardrobe1 and her magnificent diamonds4 ,she witnessed the robbery with calmness1 until she saw the brigands seize the portrait of the ,emperor ,napoleon1 presented to her by his own hand1 and set round with large brilliants1 when she appealed to them with tears streaming down her cheeks to take the settings and all the diamonds1 but not to deprive her of the portrait of her dear1 dear ,emperor6 ,when this circumstance was referred to she told me the story1 and her eyes glistened with tears while relating it4 ,went to ,orsay yesterday1 and passed a very agreeable day there4 ,it was a fortified chateau1 and must have been a very fine place before the ,revolution caused1 not only its pillage1 but nearly total destruction1 for only one wing of it now remains4 ,built in the reign of ,charles ,,vii1 it was esteemed one of the best specimens of the feudal chteau fort of that epoch2 and the subterranean portion of it still attests its former strength and magnitude4 ,it is surrounded by a moat1 not of stagnant water1 but supplied by the river ,ivette1 which flows at the base of the hill on which the chteau stands4 ,the water is clear and brisk and the chteau looks as if it stood in a pellucid river4 ,the view from the windows is very extensive1 commanding a rich and well-wooded country4 ,the chapel escaped not the ravages of the sacrilegious band1 who committed such havoc on the chteau2 for the beautiful altar1 and some very interesting monuments1 were barbarously mutilated1 and the tomb of the ,princesse de ,croy1 the mother of ,general ,count d',orsay1 on which a vast sum had been expended1 was nearly razed to the ground4 ,if aught was required to increase my horror of revolutions1 and of the baleful consequences to which they lead1 the sight of this once splendid chteau1 and1 above all1 of its half-ruined chapel1 in which even the honoured dead were insulted1 would have accomplished it4 ,an heiress of one of the most ancient houses in the ,pays-,bas1 the ,princesse de ,croy brought a noble dowry to her husband1 himself a man of princely fortune4 ,young and beautiful1 her munificence soon rendered her an object of almost1 adoration to the dependents of her lord2 and when soon after having given birth to a son and heir1 the present ,general ,comte d',orsay1 she was called to another world1 her remains were followed to her untimely grave by a long train of weeping poor1 whose hearts her bounty had often cheered1 and whose descendants were subsequently horror-struck to see the sanctity of her last earthly resting-place invaded4 ,we passed through the hamlet of ,palaiseau1 on our return to ,paris2 and saw in it the steeple where the magpie concealed the silver spoons he had stolen1 and which occasioned the event from which the drama of ,la ,pie ,voleuse1 known in so many languages1 has had its origin4 ,the real story ended not so happily as the opera1 for the poor girl was executed--the spoons not having been discovered until after her death4 ,this tragedy in humble life has attached great interest to the steeple at ,palaiseau1 and has drawn many persons to the secluded hamlet in which it stands4 ,the ,duc and ,duchesse de ,quiche returned from ,luneville yesterday2 and we spent last evening with them4 ,the good ,duke de ,gramont was there1 and was in great joy at their return4 ,they all dine with us to-morrow2 and ,madame ,craufurd comes to meet them4 ,never have ,i seen such children as the ,duc de ,quiche's4 ,uniting to the most remarkable personal beauty an intelligence and docility as rare as they are delightful2 and never did ,i witness any thing like the unceasing care and attention bestowed on their education by their parents4 ,those who only know the ,duc and ,duchesse in the gay circles1 in which they are universally esteemed among the brightest ornaments1 can form little idea of them in the privacy of their domestic one--emulating each other in their devotion to their children1 and giving only the most judicious proofs of their attachment to them4 ,no wonder that the worthy ,duc de ,gramont doats on his grandchildren1 and never seems so happy as with his excellent son and daughter-in-law4 ,went to the ,vaudeville ,thtre last evening1 to see the new piece by ,scribe1 so much talked of1 entitled ,avant1 ,pendant1 et ,aprs4 ,there is a fearful vraisemblance in some of the scenes with all that one has read or pictured to oneself1 as daily occurring during the terrible days of the ,revolution2 and the tendency of the production is not1 in my opinion1 calculated to produce salutary effects4 ,i only wonder it is permitted to be acted4 ,the piece is divided1 as the title announces1 into three different epochs4 ,the first represents the frivolity and vices attributed to the days of l'ancien rgime1 and the tableau des moeurs1 which is vividly coloured1 leaves no favourable impression in the minds of the audience of that noblesse whose sufferings subsequently expiated the errors said to have accelerated1 if not to have produced1 the ,revolution4 ,nothing is omitted that could cast odium on them1 as a preparation for the ,reign of ,terror that follows4 ,the anarchy and confusion of the second epoch--the fear and horror that prevail when the voices and motions of a sanguinary mob are heard in the streets1 and the terrified inmates of the houses are seen crouching in speechless terror1 are displayed with wonderful truth4 ,the lesson is an awful1 and ,i think a dangerous1 one1 and so seemed to think many of the upper class among the audience1 for ,i saw some fair cheeks turn pale1 and some furrowed brows look ominous1 as the scene was enacted1 while those of the less elevated in rank among the spectators assumed1 or seemed to assume1 a certain fiert1 if not ferocity1 of aspect1 at beholding this vivid representation of the triumph achieved by their order over the noblesse4 ,it is not wise to exhibit to a people1 and above all to so inflammable a people as the ,french1 what they can effect2 and ,i confess ,i felt uneasy when ,i witnessed the deep interest and satisfaction evinced by many in the parterre during the representation4 ,the ,aprs1 the third epoch1 is even more calculated to encourage revolutionary principles1 for in it was displayed the elevation to the highest grades in the army and in the state of those who in the ancien rgime would have remained as the ,revolution found them1 in the most obscure stations1 but who by that event had brilliant opportunities afforded for distinguishing themselves4 ,heroic courage1 boundless generosity1 and devoted patriotism1 are liberally bestowed on the actors who figure in this last portion of the drama2 and1 as these qualities are known to have appertained to many of those who really filled the rles enacted at the period now represented1 the scene had1 as might be expected1 a powerful effect on a people so impressible as the ,french1 and so liable to be hurried into enthusiasm by aught that appeals to their imaginations4 ,the applause was deafening2 and ,i venture to say1 that those from whom it proceeded left the theatre with a conviction that a revolution was a certain means of achieving glory and fortune to those who1 with all the self-imagined qualities to merit both1 had not been born to either4 ,every ,frenchman in the middle or lower class believes himself capable of arriving at the highest honours4 ,this belief sometimes half accomplishes the destiny it imagines2 but even when it fails to effect this1 it ever operates in rendering ,frenchmen peculiarly liable to rush into any change or measure likely to lead to even a chance of distinction4 ,as during the performance of ,avant1 ,pendant et ,aprs1 my eye glanced on the faces of some of the emigrant noblesse1 restored to ,france by the entry of the ,bourbons1 ,i marked the changes produced on their countenances by it4 ,anxiety1 mingled with dismay1 was visible2 for the scenes of the past were vividly recalled1 while a vague dread of the future was instilled4 ,yes1 the representation of this piece is a dangerous experiment1 and so ,i fear it will turn out4 ,i am sometimes amused1 but more frequently irritated1 by observing the moeurs ,parisiennes1 particularly in the shop-keepers4 ,the airs of self-complacency1 amounting almost to impertinence1 practised by this class1 cannot fail to surprise persons accustomed to the civility and assiduity of those in ,london1 who1 whether the purchases made in their shops be large or small1 evince an equal politeness to the buyers4 ,in ,paris1 the tradesman assumes the right of dictating to the taste of his customers2 in ,london1 he only administers to it4 ,enter a ,parisian shop1 and ask to be shewn velvet1 silk1 or riband1 to assort with a pattern you have brought of some particular colour or quality1 and the mercer1 having glanced at it somewhat contemptuously1 places before you six or eight pieces of a different tint and texture4 ,you tell him that they are not similar to the pattern1 and he answers1 ,that may be2 nevertheless1 his goods are of the newest fashion1 and infinitely superior to your model4 ,you say1 ,you prefer the colour of your pattern1 and must match it4 ,he produces half-a-dozen pieces still more unlike what you require2 and to your renewed assertion that no colour but the one similar to your pattern will suit you1 he assures you1 that his goods are superior to all others1 and that what you require is out of fashion1 and a very bad article1 and1 consequently1 that you had much better abandon your taste and adopt his4 ,this counsel is given without any attempt at concealing the contempt the giver of it entertains for your opinion1 and the perfect satisfaction he indulges for his own4 ,you once more ask1 ,if he has got nothing to match the colour you require8 and he shrugs his shoulders and answers1 ,pourtant1 madame1 what ,i have shewn you is much superior1 ,very possible2 but no colour will suit me but this one1 holding up the pattern2 for ,i want to replace a breadth of a new dress to which an accident has occurred4 ,pourtant1 madame1 my colours are precisely the same1 but the quality of the materials is infinitely better6 and with this answer1 after having lost half an hour--if not double that time--you are compelled to be satisfied1 and leave the shop1 its owner looking as if he considered you a person of decidedly bad taste1 and very troublesome into the bargain4 ,similar treatment awaits you in every shop2 the owners having1 as it appears to me1 decided on shewing you only what they approve1 and not what you seek4 ,the women of high rank in ,france seldom1 if ever1 enter any shop except that of ,herbault1 who is esteemed the modiste1 par excellence1 of ,paris1 and it is to this habit1 probably1 that the want of biensance so visible in ,parisian boutiquiers1 is to be attributed4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,an agreeable party dined here yesterday--,lord ,stuart de ,rothesay1 our ,ambassador1 the ,duc and ,duchesse de ,guiche1 the ,duc de ,mouchy1 ,sir ,francis ,burdett1 and ,count ,charles de ,mornay4 ,lord ,stuart de ,rothesay is very popular at ,paris1 as is also our ,ambassadress2 a proof that1 in addition to a vast fund of good-nature1 no inconsiderable portion of tact is conjoined--to please ,english and ,french too1 which they certainly do1 requires no little degree of the rare talent of savoir-vivre4 ,to a profound knowledge of ,french society and its peculiarities1 a knowledge not easily acquired1 ,lord and ,lady ,stuart de ,rothesay add the happy art of adopting all that is agreeable in its usages1 without sacrificing any of the stateliness so essential in the representatives of our more grave and reflecting nation4 ,among the peculiarities that most strike one in ,french people1 are the good-breeding with which they listen1 without even a smile1 to the almost incomprehensible attempts at speaking ,french made by many strangers1 and the quickness of apprehension with which they seize their meaning1 and assist them in rendering the sense complete4 ,i have seen innumerable proofs of this politeness--a politeness so little understood1 or at least so little practised1 among the ,english1 that mistakes perfectly ludicrous1 and which could not have failed to set my compatriots in a titter1 if not in a roar1 have not produced the movement of a single risible muscle1 and yet the ,french are more prone to gaiety than are the ,english4 ,mr4 ,d---- and ,mr4 ,t---- dined here yesterday4 ,the former1 mild1 gentlemanlike1 and unostentatious1 seems to forget what so many would1 if similarly situated1 remember with arrogance1 namely1 that he is immensely rich2 an obliviousness that1 in my opinion1 greatly enhances his other merits4 ,mr4 ,t---- is little changed since ,i last saw him1 and is well-informed1 clover1 and agreeable1--but his own too-evident consciousness of possessing these recommendations prevents other people from according him due merit for them4 ,in society1 one who believes himself clever must become a hypocrite1 and so conceal all knowledge of his self-complacency1 if he wishes to avoid being unpopular2 for woe be to him who lets the world see he thinks highly of himself1 however his abilities may justify his self-approval6 ,the sight of ,mr4 ,t---- recalled his amiable and excellent mother to my memory4 ,i never esteemed any woman more highly1 or enjoyed the society of any other person more than hers4 ,how many pleasant hours have ,i passed with her6 ,i so well remember ,john ,kemble fancying that if ,i went through a course of reading ,shakspeare with his sister ,mrs4 ,t----1 ,i should make1 as he said1 a fine actress2 and we were to get up private theatricals at ,mountjoy ,forest4 ,in compliance with the request of ,lord ,blessington1 ,i studied ,shakspeare with this amiable and gifted woman for many months1 which cemented a friendship between us that ended but with her life4 ,her method of reading was admirable2 for to the grandeur of her sister ,mrs4 ,siddons1 she united a tenderness and softness1 in which that great actress was said to be deficient4 ,i never open any of the plays of ,shakspeare which ,i studied with her without thinking ,i hear her voice1 and ,i like them better for the association4 ,to great personal attractions1 which even to the last she retained enough of to give a notion of what her beauty must have been in her youth1 ,mrs4 ,t---- added a charm of manners1 a cultivation of mind1 and a goodness of heart seldom surpassed2 and1 in all the relations of life1 her conduct was most praiseworthy4 ,even now1 though six years have elapsed since her death1 the recollection of it brings tears to my eyes4 ,good and gentle woman1 may your virtues on earth find their reward in ,heaven6 ,i passed last evening at ,madame ,craufurd's1 where ,i met ,lady ,charlotte ,lindsay and the ,misses ,berry4 ,how perfectly they answered to the description given of them by ,sir ,william ,gell2 who1 though exceedingly attached to all three1 has not1 as far as one interview permitted me to judge1 overrated their agreeability6 ,sir ,william ,gell has read me many letters from these ladies1 replete with talent1 of which their conversation reminded me4 ,francis ,hare and his wife dined here to-day4 ,they are en route from ,germany--where they have been sojourning since their marriage--for ,england1 where her accouchement is to take place4 ,francis ,hare has lived with us so much in ,italy1 that we almost consider him a member of the domestic circle2 and1 on the faith of this1 he expressed his desire that we should receive madame son pouse as if she were an old acquaintance4 ,mrs4 ,hare is well-looking1 and agreeable1 appears amiable1 and is a good musician4 ,i remember seeing her and her sisters with her mother1 ,lady ,paul1 at ,florence1 when ,i had little notion that she was to be ,mrs4 ,hare4 ,i never meet ,francis ,hare without being surprised by the versatility of his information2 it extends to the fine arts1 literature1 rare books1 the localities of pictures and statues2 in short1 he is a moving library that may always be consulted with profit1 and his memory is as accurate as an index in rendering its precious stores available4 ,it is strange1 that the prominent taste of his wife1 which is for music1 is the only one denied to him4 ,he afforded an amusing instance of this fact last night1 when ,mrs4 ,hare1 having performed several airs on the piano-forte1 he asked her1 ,why she played the same tune so often1 for the monotony was tiresome8--an observation that set us all laughing4 ,took ,mrs4 ,hare out shopping--saw piles of lace1 heaps of silk1 pyramids of riband1 and all other female gear4 ,what a multiplicity of pretty things we women require to render us what we consider presentable6 ,and how few of us1 however good-looking we may chance to be1 would agree with the poet1 that loveliness needs not the foreign aid of ornament1 but is1 when unadorned1 adorned the most4 ,even the fairest of the sex like to enhance the charms of nature by the aid of dress2 and the plainest hope to become less so by its assistance4 ,men are never sufficiently sensible of our humility1 in considering it so necessary to increase our attractions in order to please them1 nor grateful enough for the pains we bestow in the attempts4 ,husbands and fathers are particularly insensible to this amiable desire on the parts of their wives and daughters2 and1 when asked to pay the heavy bills incurred in consequence of this praiseworthy humility and desire to please1 evince any feeling rather than that of satisfaction4 ,it is only admirers not called on to pay these said bills who duly appreciate the cause and effect1 and who can hear of women passing whole hours in tempting shops1 without that elongation of countenance peculiar to husbands and fathers4 ,i could not help thinking with the philosopher1 how many things ,i saw to-day that could be done without4 ,if women could be made to understand that costliness of attire seldom adds to beauty1 and often deteriorates it1 a great amelioration in expense could be accomplished4 ,transparent muslin1 the cheapest of all materials1 is one of the prettiest1 too1 for summer's wear1 and with the addition of some bows of delicate-coloured riband1 or a bouquet of fresh flowers1 forms a most becoming dress4 ,the lowness of the price of such a robe enables the purchaser to have so frequent a change of it1 that even those who are far from rich may have half-a-dozen1 while one single robe of a more expensive material will cost more2 and having done so1 the owner will think it right to wear it more frequently than is consistent with the freshness and purity that should ever be the distinguishing characteristics in female dress1 in order to indemnify herself for the expense4 ,i was never more struck with this fact1 than a short time ago1 when ,i saw two ladies seated next each other1 both young and handsome2 but one1 owing to the freshness of her robe1 which was of simple organdie1 looked infinitely better than the other1 who was quite as pretty1 but who1 wearing a robe of expensive lace1 whose whiteness had fallen into the sere and yellow leaf1 appeared faded and passe4 ,be wise1 then1 ye young and fair2 and if1 as ,i suspect1 your object be to please the ,lords of the ,creation1 let your dress1 in summer1 be snowy-white muslin1 never worn after its pristine purity becomes problematical2 and in winter1 let some half-dozen plain and simple silk gowns be purchased1 instead of the two or three expensive ones that generally form the wardrobe1 and which1 consequently1 soon not only lose their lustre but give the wearer the appearance of having suffered the same fate6 ,and you1 ,o husbands and fathers1 present and future1 be ye duly impressed with a sense of your manifold obligations to me for thus opening the eyes of your wives and daughters how to please without draining your purses2 and when the maledictions of lace1 velvet1 and satin-sellers full on my hapless head1 for counsel so injurious to their interests1 remember they were incurred for yours6 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,hare dined here yesterday4 ,they brought with them ,madame de la ,h----1 who came up from near ,chantilly to see them4 ,she is as pretty as ,i remember her at ,florence1 when ,mademoiselle ,d----1 and is piquante and spirituelle4 ,counts ,charles de ,mornay and ,valeski formed the party1 and ,count ,maussion and some others came in the evening4 ,i observe that few ,english shine in conversation with the ,french4 ,there is a lightness and brilliancy1 a sort of touch and go1 if ,i may say so1 in the latter1 seldom1 if ever1 to be acquired by strangers4 ,never dwelling long on any subject1 and rarely entering profoundly into it1 they sparkle on the surface with great dexterity1 bringing wit1 gaiety1 and tact1 into play4 ,like summer lightning1 ,french wit flashes frequently1 brightly and innocuously1 leaving nothing disagreeable to remind one of its having appeared4 ,conversation is1 with the ,french1 the aim and object of society4 ,all enter it prepared to take a part1 and he best enacts it who displays just enough knowledge to show that much remains behind4 ,such is the tact of the ,parisians1 that even the ignorant conceal the poverty of their minds1 and might1 to casual observers1 pass as being in no way deficient1 owing to the address with which they glide in an propos oui1 ou non1 and an appropriate shake of the head1 nod of assent1 or dissent4 ,the constitutional vivacity of the ,french depending much on their mercurial temperaments1 greatly aids them in conversation4 ,a light and playful sally acquires additional merit when uttered with gaiety2 and should a bon mot even contain something calculated to pique any one present1 or reflect on the absent1 the mode in which it is uttered takes off from the force of the matter2 whereas1 on the contrary1 the more grave and sententious manner peculiar to the ,english adds pungency to their satire4 ,our old and valued friend1 ,mr4 ,j4 ,strangways1 has arrived at ,paris1 and very glad were we to see him once more4 ,he passed through a severe trial since last we parted2 and his conduct under it towards his poor friend1 ,mr4 ,anson1 does him credit4 ,the two companions--one the brother of the ,earl of ,ilchester1 and the other of ,lord ,anson--were travelling in ,syria together4 ,they had passed through ,aleppo1 where the plague had then appeared1 and were at the distance of several days' journey from it1 congratulating themselves on their safety1 when1 owing to some error on the part of those who examined their firman1 they were compelled to retrace their steps to ,aleppo1 where1 condemned to become the inhabitants of a lazaretto until the imagined mistake could be corrected1 they found themselves tte--tte4 ,the first two or three days passed without any thing to alarm the friends4 ,engaged in drawing maps for their intended route1 and plans for the future1 the hours glided away even cheerfully4 ,but this cheerfulness was not long to continue2 for ,mr4 ,anson1 having one morning asked ,mr4 ,strangways to hold the end of his shawl while he twisted it round his head as a turban1 the latter observed1 with a degree of horror and dismay more easily to be imagined than described1 the fatal plague-spot clearly defined on the back of the neck of his unfortunate friend4 ,he concealed his emotion1 well knowing that a suspicion of its cause would add to the danger of ,mr4 ,anson1 who1 as yet1 was unconscious of the fearful malady that had already assailed him4 ,totally alone1 without aid1 save that contained in their own very limited resources1 what must have been the feelings of ,mr4 ,strangways1 as he contemplated his luckless companion8 ,he dreaded to hear the announcement of physical suffering1 though he well knew it must soon come1 and marked with indescribable anguish the change that rapidly began to be manifested in his friend4 ,but even this most terrible of all maladies was influenced by the gallant spirit of him on whom it was now preying2 for not a complaint1 not a murmur1 broke from his lips3 and it was not until ,mr4 ,strangways had repeatedly urged the most affectionate inquiries that he admitted he was not quite well4 ,delirium quickly followed2 but even then this noble-minded young man bore up against the fearful assaults of disease1 and thought and spoke only of those dear and absent friends he was doomed never again to behold4 ,it was a dreadful trial to ,mr4 ,strangways to sit by the bed of death1 far1 far away from home and friends1 endeavouring to cool the burning brow and to refresh the parched lips of him so fondly loved in that distant land of which he raved4 ,he spoke of his home1 of those who made it so dear to him1 and even the songs of infancy were again murmured by the dying lips4 ,his friend quitted him not for a minute until all was over2 and he was left indeed alone to watch1 over the corpse of him whom he had tried in vain to save4 ,that ,mr4 ,strangways should have escaped the contagion1 seems little less than miraculous4 ,i1 who have known him so long and so well1 attribute it to the state of his mind1 which was so wholly occupied by anxiety for his friend as to leave no room for any thought of self4 ,made no entry in my journal for two days1 owing to a slight indisposition1 which furnished an excuse for laziness4 ,dined at ,lointier's yesterday--a splendid repast given by ,count ,a4 de ,maussion1 in consequence of a wager1 lost on a subject connected with the line arts4 ,the party consisted of all those present at our house when the wager was made4 ,the ,duc and ,duchesse de ,guiche1 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,francis ,hare1 the ,duc de ,talleyrand1 ,duc de ,dino1 ,count ,valeski1 ,mr4 ,j4 ,strangways1 and our own large family circle4 ,the dinner was the most recherch that could be furnished3 all the delicacies of the season1 as a ,london paper would term it1 were provided2 and an epicure1 however fastidious1 would have been satisfied with the choice and variety of the plats2 while a gourmand would have luxuriated in the quantity4 ,nothing in the style of the apartments1 or the service of the dinner1 bore the least indication that we were in the house of a restaurant4 ,a large and richly furnished salon1 well lighted1 received the company before dinner2 and in a salle manger of equal dimensions1 and equally well arranged1 the dinner was served on a very fine service of old plate4 ,count de ,maussion did the honours of the dinner merveille1 and it passed off very gaily4 ,it had been previously agreed that the whole party were to adjourn to the ,porte ,st4 ,martin1 at which ,count de ,maussion had engaged three large private boxes2 and the ladies1 consequently1 with one exception1 came en demi-toilette4 ,the exception was ,mrs4 ,hare1 who1 not aware that at ,paris people never go en grande toilette to the theatres1 came so smartly dressed1 that1 seeing our simple toilettes1 she was afraid of incurring observation if she presented herself in a rich dress with short sleeves1 a gold tissue turban with a bird-of-paradise plume1 and an aigrette of coloured stones2 so she went to our house1 with a few of the party1 while ,i accompanied the rest to the theatre4 ,the piece was ,faust1 adapted from ,goethe1 and was admirably performed1 more especially the parts of ,mephistopheles and ,margaret1 in which ,madame ,dorval acts inimitably4 ,this actress has great merit2 and the earnestness of her manner1 and the touching tones of her voice1 give a great air of truth to her performances4 ,the prison-scene was powerfully acted2 and the madness of ,margaret when stretched on her bed of straw1 resisting the vain efforts of her lover to rescue her1 had a fearful reality4 ,the character of ,margaret is a fine conception1 and ,goethe has wrought it out beautifully4 ,the simplicity1 gentleness1 and warm feelings of the village maiden1 excite a strong interest for her1 even when worked upon by ,vanity2 that alloy which1 alas for ,woman's virtue and happiness6 is too frequently found mixed up in the pure ore of her nature4 ,the childish delight with which poor ,margaret contemplates the trinkets presented by her lover2 the baleful ascendency acquired over her by her female companion2 and her rapid descent in the path of evil when1 as is ever the case1 the commission of one sin entails so many1 render this drama a very effective moral lesson4 ,of all ,goethe's works1 ,faust is the one ,i most like2 and1 of all his female characters1 ,margaret is that which ,i prefer4 ,a fine vein of philosophy runs through the whole of this production1 in which the vanity of human knowledge without goodness was never more powerfully exemplified4 ,faust1 tempted by the desire of acquiring forbidden knowledge1 yields up his soul to the evil one2 yet still retains enough of the humanity of his nature to render him wretched1 when her he loves1 and has drawn ruin on1 suffers the penalty of his crime and of her love4 ,exquisitely has ,goethe wrought out the effects of the all-engrossing passion of the poor ,margaret--a passion that even in madness1 still clings to its object with all woman's tenderness and devotion1 investing even insanity with the touching charm of love4 ,how perfect is the part when1 endeavouring to pray1 the hapless ,margaret fancies that she hears the gibbering of evil spirits interrupting her supplications1 so that even the consolation of addressing the ,divinity is denied her6 ,but the last scene--that in the prison--is the most powerful of all4 ,never was madness more touchingly delineated1 or woman's nature more truly developed2--that nature so little understood by those who are so prone to pervert it1 and whose triumphs over its virtues are always achieved by means of the excess of that propensity to love1 and to believe in the truth of the object beloved1 which is one of the most beautiful characteristics in woman2 though1 wo to her6 it is but too often used to her undoing4 ,the feelings of poor ,margaret are those of all her sex1 ere vice has sullied the nature it never can wholly subdue4 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,hare left ,paris to-day4 ,i regret their departure2 for she is lively and agreeable1 and ,i have known him so long1 and like him so well1 that their society afforded me pleasure4 ,a large party at dinner1 yesterday2 among whom1 was ,mr4 ,m----1 who has acquired a certain celebrity for his bons mots4 ,he is said to be decidedly clever1 and to know the world thoroughly3 appreciating it at its just value1 and using it as if formed for his peculiar profit and pleasure4 ,he is lately returned from ,england1 where he has been received with that hospitality that characterises the ,english1 and has gone a round of visits to many of the best houses4 ,he spoke in high terms of the hospitality he had experienced1 but agreed in the opinion ,i have often heard ,lord ,byron give1 that the society in ,english country-houses is any thing but agreeable4 ,i had heard so much of ,mr4 ,m----1 that ,i listened to his conversation with more interest than ,i might have done1 had not so many reports of his shrewdness and wit reached me4 ,neither seem to have been overrated2 for nothing escapes his quick perception2 and his caustic wit is unsparingly and fearlessly applied to all subjects and persons that excite it into action4 ,he appears to be a privileged person--an anomaly seldom innoxiously permitted in society3 for those who may say all they please1 rarely abstain from saying much that may displease others2 and1 though a laugh may he often excited by their wit1 some one of the circle is sure to be wounded by it4 ,great wit is not often allied to good-nature1 for the indulgence of the first is destructive to the existence of the second1 except where the wit is tempered by a more than ordinary share of sensibility and refinement1 directing its exercise towards works of imagination1 instead of playing it off1 as is too frequently the case1 against those with whom its owner may come in contact4 ,byron1 had he not been a poet1 would have become a wit in society2 and1 instead of delighting his readers1 would have wounded his associates4 ,luckily for others1 as well as for his own fame1 he devoted to literature that ready and brilliant wit which sparkles in so many of his pages1 instead of condescending to expend it in bons mots1 or rparties1 that might have set the table on a roar1 and have been afterwards1 as often occurs1 mutilated in being repeated by1 others4 ,the quickness of apprehension peculiar to the ,french1 joined to the excessive amour propre1 which is one of the most striking of their characteristics1 render them exceedingly susceptible to the arrows of wit2 which1 when barbed by ridicule1 inflict wounds on their vanity difficult to be healed1 and which they are ever ready to avenge4 ,but this very acuteness of apprehension induces a caution in not resenting the assaults of wit1 unless the wounded can retort with success by a similar weapon1 or that the attack has been so obvious that he is justified in resenting it by a less poetical one4 ,hence arises a difficult position for him on whom a wit is pleased to exercise his talent2 and this is one of the many reasons why privileged persons seldom add much to the harmony of society4 ,went last night to the ,porte ,st4 ,martin1 and saw ,sept ,heures represented4 ,this piece has excited a considerable sensation at ,paris2 and the part of the heroine1 ,charlotte ,corday1 being enacted by ,madame ,dorval1 a very clever actress1 it is very popular4 ,charlotte ,corday is represented in the piece1 not as a heroine actuated purely by patriotic motives in seeking the destruction of a tyrant who inflicted such wounds on her country1 but by the less sublime one of avenging the death of her lover4 ,this1 in my opinion1 lessens the interest of the drama1 and atones not for the horror always inspired by a woman's arming herself for a scene of blood4 ,the taste of the ,parisians has1 ,i think1 greatly degenerated1 both in their light literature and their dramas4 ,the desire for excitement1 and not a decrease of talent1 is the cause2 and this morbid craving for it will1 ,i fear1 lead to injurious consequences1 not only in literature1 but in other and graver things4 ,the schoolmaster is1 indeed1 abroad in ,france1 and has in all parts of it found apt scholars--perhaps1 too apt2 and1 like all such1 the digestion of what is acquired does not equal the appetite for acquisition3 consequently1 the knowledge gained is as yet somewhat crude and unavailable4 ,nevertheless1 the people are making rapid strides in improvement2 and ignorance will soon be more rare than knowledge formerly was4 ,at present1 their minds are somewhat unsettled by the recentness of their progress2 and in the exuberance consequent on such a state1 some danger is to be apprehended4 ,like a room from which light has been long excluded1 and in which a large window is opened1 all the disagreeable objects in it so long shrouded in darkness are so fully revealed1 that the owner1 becoming impatient to remove them and substitute others in their place1 often does so at the expense of appropriateness1 and crowds the chamber with a heterogeneous mlange of furniture1 which1 however useful in separate parts1 are too incongruous to produce a good effect4 ,so the minds of the ,french people are now too enlightened any longer to suffer the prejudices that formerly filled them to remain1 and have1 in their impatience1 stored them with new ideas and opinions--many of them good and useful1 but too hastily adopted1 and not in harmony with each other to be productive of a good result1 until time has enabled their owners to class and arrange them4 ,i am every day more forcibly struck with the natural quickness and intelligence of the people here3 but this very quickness is a cause that may tend to retard their progress in knowledge1 by inducing them to jump at conclusions1 instead of marching slowly but steadily to them2 and conclusions so rapidly made are apt to be as hastily acted upon1 and1 consequently1 occasion errors that take some time to be discovered1 and still more to be corrected1 before the truth is attained4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,made the acquaintance of the celebrated ,dr4 ,p----1 today1 at ,madame ,c----'s4 ,he is a very interesting old man2 and1 though infirm in body1 his mind is as fresh1 and his vivacity as unimpaired1 as if he had not numbered forty instead of eighty summers4 ,i am partial to the society of clever medical men1 for the opportunities afforded them of becoming acquainted with human nature1 by studying it under all the phases of illness1 convalescence1 and on the bed of death1 when the real character is exposed unveiled from the motives that so often shadow1 if not give it a false character1 in the days of health1 render their conversation very interesting4 ,i have observed1 too1 that the knowledge of human nature thus attained neither hardens the heart nor blunts the sensibility1 for some of the most kind-natured men ,i ever knew were also the most skilful physicians and admirable1 surgeons4 ,among these is ,mr4 ,guthrie1 of ,london1 whose rare dexterity in his art ,i have often thought may be in a great degree attributed to this very kindness of nature1 which has induced him to bestow a more than usual attention to acquiring it1 in order to abridge the sufferings of his patients4 ,in operations on the eye1 in which he has gained such a justly merited celebrity1 ,i have been told by those from whose eyes he had removed cataracts1 that his precision and celerity are so extraordinary as to appear to them little short of miraculous4 ,talking on this subject with ,dr4 ,p---- to-day1 he observed1 that he considered strength of mind and kindness of heart indispensable requisites to form a surgeon2 and that it was a mistake to suppose that these qualities had any other than a salutary influence over the nerves of a surgeon4 ,it braces them1 ,madame1 said he2 for pity towards the patient induces an operator to perform his difficult task con amore1 in order to relieve him4 ,dr4 ,p---- has nearly lost his voice1 and speaks in a low but distinct whisper4 ,tall and thin1 with a face pale as marble1 but full of intelligence1 he looks1 when bending on his gold-headed cane1 the very beau idal of a physician of la ,vieille ,cour1 and he still retains the costume of that epoch4 ,his manner1 half jest and half earnest1 gives an idea of what that of the ,philosopher of ,ferney must have been when in a good humour1 and adds piquancy to his narrations4 ,madame ,c----1 who is an especial favourite of his1 and who can draw him out in conversation better than any one else1 in paying him a delicate and well-timed compliment on his celebrity1 added1 that few had ever so well merited it4 ,ah6 ,madame1 celebrity is not always accorded to real merit1 said he1 smiling4 ,i have before told ,madame that mine--if ,i may be permitted to recur to it--was gained by an artifice ,i had recourse to1 and without which1 ,i firmly believe ,i should have remained unknown4 ,no1 no6 my dear doctor1 replied ,madame ,c----2 your merit must have1 in time1 acquired you the great fame you enjoy4 ,the ,doctor laughed heartily1 but persisted in denying this2 and the lady urged him to relate to me the plan he had so successfully pursued in abridging his road to ,fortune4 ,he seemed flattered by her request1 and by my desire for his compliance with it1 and commenced as follows3-- ,i came from the country1 ,mesdames1 with no inconsiderable claims to distinction in my profession4 ,i had studied it con amore1 and1 urged by the desire that continually haunted me of becoming a benefactor to mankind--ay6 ladies1 and still more anxious to relieve your fair and gentle sex from those ills to which the delicacy of your frames and the sensibility of your minds so peculiarly expose you--,i came to ,paris with little money and few friends1 and those few possessed no power to forward my interest4 ,it is true they recommended me to such of their acquaintance as needed advice2 but whether1 owing to the season being a peculiarly healthy one1 or that the acquaintances of my friends enjoyed an unusual portion of good health1 ,i was seldom called on to attend them2 and1 when ,i was1 the remuneration offered was proportioned1 not to the relief afforded1 but to the want of fame of him who lent it4 ,my purse diminished even more rapidly than my hopes1 though they1 too1 began to fade2 and it was with a heavy heart that ,i look my pen to write home to those dear friends who believed that ,paris was a second ,el ,dorado1 where all who sought--must find--,fortune4 ,at length1 when one night stretched on my humble bed1 and sleepless from the cares that pressed heavily on my mind1 it occurred to me that ,i must put some plan into action for getting myself known2 and one suggested itself1 which ,i next day adopted4 ,i changed one of the few remaining louis d'or in my purse1 and1 sallying forth into one of the most popular streets1 ,i wrote down the addresses of some of the most respectable-looking houses1 and going up to a porter1 desired him to knock at the doors named1 and inquire if the celebrated ,doctor ,p---- was there1 as his presence was immediately required at the htel of the ,duc de ----4 ,i despatched no less than twenty messengers through the different streets on the same errand1 and having succeeded in persuading each that it was of the utmost importance that the celebrated ,doctor ,p---- should be found1 they persuaded the owners of the houses of the same necessity4 ,i persevered in this system for a few days1 and then tried its efficacy at night1 thinking that1 when knocked up from their beds1 people would be sure to be more impressed with the importance of a doctor in such general request4 ,my scheme succeeded4 ,in a few days1 ,i was repeatedly called in by various patients1 and liberal fees poured into the purse of the celebrated ,dr4 ,p----4 ,unfortunately my practice1 although every day multiplying even beyond my most sanguine hopes1 was entirely confined to the bourgeoisie2 and though they paid well1 my ambition pointed to higher game1 and ,i longed to feel the pulses of la haute noblesse1 and to ascertain if the fine porcelain of which ,i had heard they were formed was indeed as much superior to the delf of which the bourgeoisie are said to be manufactured1 as ,i was led to believe4 ,luckily for me1 the femme de chambre of a grand lady fancied herself ill1 mentioned the fancy to her friend1 who was one of my patients1 and who instantly advised her to consult the celebrated ,dr4 ,p----1 adding a lively account of the extent of my practice and the great request ,i was in4 ,the femme de chambre consulted me1 described symptoms enough to baffle all the schools of medicine in ,france1 so various and contradictory were they1 and ,i1 discovering that she really had nothing the matter with her1 advised what ,i knew would be very palatable to her1--namely1 a very nutritious rgime1 as much air and amusement as was possible in her position1 and gave her a prescription for some gentle medicine1 to prevent any evil effect from the luxurious fare ,i had recommended4 ,i was half tempted to refuse the fee she slipped into my hand1 but ,i recollected that people never value what they get for nothing1 and so ,i pocketed it4 ,in a few days1 ,i was sent for to the ,htel--to attend the ,duchesse de ---- the mistress of the said femme de chambre4 ,this was an event beyond my hopes1 and ,i determined to profit by it4 ,i found the ,duchesse suffering under a malady--if malady it could be called--to which ,i have since discovered grand ladies are peculiarly subject2 namely1 a superfluity of embonpoint1 occasioned by luxurious habits and the want of exercise4 ',i am very much indisposed1 ,doctor1' lisped the lady1 'and your prescription has done my femme de chambre so much good1 that ,i determined to send for you4 ,i am so very ill1 that ,i am fast losing my shape2 my face1 too1 is no longer the same2 and my feet and hands are not to be recognised4' ,i drew out my watch1 felt her pulse1 looked grave1 inquired--though it was useless1 her embonpoint having revealed it--what were her general habits and rgime2 and then1 having written a prescription1 urged the necessity of her abandoning caf au lait1 rich consomms1 and high-seasoned entres2 recommended early rising and constant exercise2 and promised that a strict attention to my advice would soon restore her health1 and with it her shape4 ,i was told to call every day until further orders2 and ,i1 pleading the excess of occupation which would render my daily visits to her so difficult1 consented to make them1 only on condition that my fair patient was to walk with me every day six times around the garden of her htel2 for ,i guessed she was too indolent to persevere in taking exercise if left to herself4 ,the system ,i pursued with her succeeded perfectly4 ,i was then a very active man1 and ,i walked so fast that ,i left the ,duchesse every day when our promenade ended bathed in a copious perspiration2 which1 aided by the medicine and sparing rgime1 soon restored her figure to its former symmetry4 ,at her htel1 ,i daily met ladies of the highest rank and distinction1 many of whom were suffering from a similar cause1 the same annoyance for which the ,duchesse consulted me2 and ,i then discovered that there is no malady1 however grave1 so distressing to your sex1 ladies1 or for the cure of which they are so willing to submit to the most disagreeable rgime1 as for aught that impairs their personal beauty4 ,when her female friends saw the improvement effected in the appearance of the ,duchesse by my treatment1 ,i was consulted by them all1 and my fame and fortune rapidly increased4 ,i was proclaimed to be the most wonderful physician1 and to have effected the most extraordinary cures2 when1 in truth1 ,i but consulted ,nature1 and aided her efforts4 ,shortly after this period1 a grand lady1 an acquaintance of one of my many patients among the noblesse1 consulted me2 and here the case was wholly different to that of the ,duchesse1 for this lady had grown so thin1 that wrinkles--those most frightful of all symptoms of decaying beauty--had made their appearance4 ,my new patient told me that1 hearing that hitherto my great celebrity had been acquired by the cure of obesity1 she feared it was useless to consult me for a disease of so opposite a nature1 but even still more distressing4 ,i inquired into her habits and rgime4 ,found that she took violent exercise2 was abstemious at table2 drank strong green tea1 and coffee without cream or milk2 disliked nutritious food2 and1 though she sat up late1 was an early riser4 ,i ordered her the frequent use of warm baths1 and to take all that ,i had prohibited the ,duchesse2 permitted only gentle exercise in a carriage2 and1 in short1 soon succeeded in rendering the thin lady plump and rosy1 to the great joy of herself1 and the wonder of her friends4 ,this treatment1 which was only what any one possessed of common sense would have prescribed in such a case1 extended my fame far and wide4 ,fat and thin ladies flocked to me for advice1 and not only liberally rewarded the success of my system1 but sounded my praises in all quarters4 ,i became the doctor la mode1 soon amassed an independence1 and1 though not without a confidence in my own skill--for ,i have never lost any opportunity of improvement in my profession--,i must confess that ,i still retain the conviction that the celebrated ,doctor ,p---- would have had little chance1 at least for many years1 of acquiring either fame or wealth1 had he not employed the means ,i have confessed to you1 ladies4 ,i cannot do justice to this spirituel old man's mode of telling the story1 or describe the finesse of his arch smile while recounting it4 ,mr4 ,p4,c4 ,scarlett1 a son of our excellent and valued friend ,sir ,james ,scarlett#c1 dined here yesterday4 ,he is a fine young man1 clever1 well-informed1 and amiable1 with the same benignant countenance and urbanity of manner that are so remarkable in his father4 ,i remember how much struck ,i was with ,sir ,james ,scarlett's countenance when he was first presented to me4 ,it has in it such a happy mixture of sparkling intelligence and good-nature that ,i was immediately pleased with him1 even before ,i had an opportunity of knowing the rare and excellent qualities for which he is distinguished1 and the treasures of knowledge with which his mind is stored4 ,i have seldom met any man so well versed in literature as ,sir ,james ,scarlett1 or with a more refined taste for it2 and when one reflects on the arduous duties of his profession--duties which he has ever fulfilled with such credit to himself and advantage to others--it seems little short of miraculous how he could have found time to have made himself so intimately acquainted1 not only with the classics1 but with all the elegant literature of ,england and ,france4 ,how many pleasant days have ,i passed in the society of ,lord ,erskine and ,sir ,james ,scarlett6 ,poor ,lord ,erskine6 never more shall ,i hear your eloquent tongue utter bons mots in which wit sparkled1 but ill-nature never appeared2 nor see your luminous eyes flashing with joyousness1 as when1 surrounded by friends at the festive board1 you rendered the banquet indeed the feast of reason and the flow of soul6 ,mr4 ,h---- ,b---- dined here yesterday1 and he talked over the pleasant days we had passed in ,italy4 ,he is an excellent specimen of the young men of the present day4 ,well-informed1 and with a mind highly cultivated1 he has travelled much in other countries1 without losing any of the good qualities and habits peculiar to his own4 ,went to the ,thtre ,italien1 last night1 and heard ,madame ,malibran sing for the first time4 ,her personation of ,desdemona is exquisite1 and the thrilling tones of her voice were in perfect harmony with the deep sensibility she evinced in every look and movement4 ,i have heard no singer to please me comparable to ,malibran3 there is something positively electrical in the effect she produces on my feelings4 ,her acting is as original as it is effective2 ,passion and ,nature are her guides1 and she abandons herself to them con amore4 ,the only defect ,i can discover in her singing is an excess of fiorituri1 that sometimes destroys the vraisemblance of the rle she is enacting1 and makes one think more of the wonderful singer than of ,desdemona4 ,this defect1 however1 is atoned for by the bursts of passion into which her powerful voice breaks when some deep emotion is to be expressed1 and the accomplished singer is forgotten in the impassioned ,desdemona4 ,spent last evening at ,madame ,c----'s1 and met there la ,duchcsse de la ,force1 la ,marquise de ,brhan1 and the usual habitus de la maison4 ,la ,duchesse is one of l'ancien rgime1 though less ceremonious than they are in general said to be1 and appears to be as good-natured as she is good-humoured4 ,the ,marquise de ,b---- told me some amusing anecdotes of the ,imperial ,court1 and of the gaiety and love of dress of the beautiful ,princesse ,pauline ,borghese1 to whom she was much attached4 ,the whole of the ,buonaparte family seem to have possessed1 in an eminent degree1 the happy art of conciliating good-will in those around them--an art necessary in all persons filling elevated positions1 but doubly so in those who have achieved their own elevation4 ,the family of the ,emperor ,napoleon were remarkable for the kindness and consideration they invariably evinced for those who in any way depended on them1 yet a natural dignity of manner precluded the possibility of familiarity4 ,the ,marquise de ,b---- having mentioned the ,duchesse d',abrantes1 ,madame ,c---- inquired kindly for her1 and the ,marquise told her that she had been only a few days before to pay her a visit4 ,anxious to learn something of a woman who filled so distinguished a position during the imperial dynasty1 ,i questioned ,madame de ,b----1 and learned that the ,duchesse d',abrantes1 who for many years lived in a style of splendour that1 even in the palmy days of her husband's prosperity1 when1 governor of ,paris1 he supported almost a regal establishment1 excited the surprise1 if not envy1 of his contemporaries1 is now reduced to so limited an income that many of the comforts1 if not the necessaries of life1 are denied her4 ,she supports her privations cheerfully1 added the ,marquise2 her conversation abounds in anecdotes of remarkable people1 and she relates them with a vivacity and piquancy peculiar to her1 which render her society very amusing and interesting4 ,the humanity1 if not the policy1 of the ,bourbons may be questioned in their leaving the widow of a brave general in a state of poverty that must remind her1 with bitterness1 of the altered fortunes entailed on her and many others by their restoration4 ,when indemnities were granted to those whom the ,revolution1 which drove the royal family from ,france1 nearly beggared1 it would have been well if a modest competency had been assigned to those whose sons and husbands shed their blood for their country1 and helped to achieve for it that military glory which none can deny it4 ,went over the ,luxembourg ,palace and ,gardens to-day4 ,the only change in the former since ,i last saw it1 is that some pictures1 painted by ,french artists at ,rome1 and very creditable to them1 have been added to its collection4 ,i like these old gardens1 with their formal walks and prim parterres2 ,i like also the company by which they are chiefly frequented1 consisting of old people and young children4 ,along the walk exposed to the southern aspect1 several groups of old men were sauntering1 conversing with an animation seldom seen in sexagenarians1 except in ,france2 old women1 too1 many of them holding lapdogs by a riband1 and attended by a female servant1 were taking their daily walk2 while1 occasionally1 might be seen an elderly couple exhibiting towards each other an assiduity pleasant to behold1 displayed by the husband's arranging the shawl or cloak of his wife1 or the wife gently brushing away with her glove the silken threads left on his sleeve by its contact with hers4 ,no little portion of the love that united them in youth may still be witnessed in these old couples4 ,each has lost every trace of the comeliness that first attracted them to each other2 but they remember what they were1 and memory1 gilding the past1 shews each to the other1 not as they actually are1 but as they were many a long year ago4 ,no face1 however fair1--not even the blooming one of their favourite granddaughter1 seems so lovely to the uxorious old husband as the one he remembers to have been so proud of forty years ago1 and which still beams on him with an expression of tenderness that reminds him of its former beauty4 ,and she1 too1 with what complacency does she listen to his oft-repealed reminiscences of her youthful attractions1 and how dear is the bond that still unites them6 ,plain and uninteresting in the eyes of others1 they present only the aspect of age2 alas6 never lovely3 but in them at least other gleams of past good looks recall the past1 when each considered the other peerless1 though now they alone remember that such things were1 and were most sweet4 ,their youth and their maturity have been passed together2 their joys and their sorrows have been shared1 and they are advancing hand in hand towards that rapid descent in the mountain of life1 at whose base is the grave1 hoping that in death they may not be divided4 ,who can look at those old couples1 and not feel impressed with the sanctity and blessedness of marriage1 which1 binding two destinies in one1 giving the same interests and the same objects of affection to both1 secures for each a companionship and a consolation for those days which must come to all1 when1 fallen into the sere and yellow leaf1 the society of the young and gay can no longer charm them1 and the present requires the recollections of the past to render it less cheerless2 recollections only to be found in those who have grown old together8 ,yonder old man1 leaning on the arm of a middle-aged woman1 who seems less like his housekeeper than his domestic tyrant1 offers an example of the fate of those who have lived in what is commonly called a state of single blessedness4 ,a youth and maturity of pleasure have been followed by an old age of infirmity4 ,he had a thousand pleasantries ready to utter on the subject of marriage whenever it was mentioned2 could cite endless examples of unhappy couples 7forgetting to name a single one of the happy72 and laughed and shook his head as he declared that he never would be caught4 ,as long as health remained1 and that he could pass his evenings in gay society1 or at the theatres1 he felt not the want of that greatest of all comforts1 home2 a comfort inseparable from a wife to share1 as well as to make it4 ,but the first attack of illness that confined him to his room1 with no tender hand to smooth his pillow1 no gentle voice to inquire into his wants1 or to minister to them2 no one to anticipate his wishes almost before he had framed them2 no loving face to look fondly and anxiously on him2 made him feel sensible1 that though a bachelor's life of pleasure may pass agreeably enough during the season of health1 it is a most cheerless and dreary state of existence when deprived of it4 ,the discovery is1 alas6 made too late4 ,all that he had ever heard or urged against matrimony applies tenfold to cases where it is contracted in old age4 ,he can still admire youth and beauty1 but he knows that with such there can never exist any reciprocity with his own feelings4 ,the young beauty who would barter her charms for his wealth1 would be1 he knows1 no suitable companion for his fire-side2 and to wed some staid dame whose youth has been passed with some dear1 kind1 first husband--of whom1 if not often speaking1 she might in all human probability be sometimes thinking--has something too repugnant to his feelings to be thought of4 ,an elderly maiden with a lap-dog1 or a parrot1 would be even more insupportable2 for how could one who has never had to consult the pleasure or wishes of aught save self be able to study his8 ,no6 it is now too late to think of marriage1 and what1 therefore1 is to be done8 ,in this emergency1 a severe attack of rheumatism confines him to his chamber for many days4 ,his valet is found out to be clumsy and awkward in assisting him to put on his flannel gloves2 the housekeeper1 who is called up to receive instructions about some particular broth that he requires1 is asked to officiate1 and suggests so many little comforts1 and evinces so much sympathy for his sufferings1 that she is soon installed as nurse4 ,by administering to his wants1 and still more by flattery and obsequiousness1 she soon renders herself indispensable to the invalid4 ,she is proclaimed to be a treasure1 and her accounts1 which hitherto had been sharply scrutinised and severely censured1 are henceforth allowed to pass unblamed1 and1 consequently1 soon amount to double the sum which had formerly1 and with reason1 been found fault with4 ,the slightest symptom of illness is magnified into a serious attack by the supposed affectionate and assiduous nurse1 until her master1 in compliance with her advice1 becomes a confirmed hypochondriac1 whom she governs despotically under a show of devoted attachment4 ,she has1 by slow but sure degrees1 alienated him from all his relatives1 and banished from his house the few friends whom she believed possessed any influence over him4 ,having rendered herself essential to his comfort1 she menaces him continually with the threat of leaving his service2 and is only induced to remain by a considerable increase to her salary1 though not1 as she asserts1 by any interested motive4 ,she lately informed her master1 that she was very sorry--very sorry1 indeed--but it was time for her to secure her future comfort2 and ,m4 ----1 the rich grocer1 had proposed marriage to her1 and offered a good settlement4 ,it would be a great grief to her to leave so kind a master1 especially as she knew no one to whom she could confide the care of him2 but a settlement of #djjj francs a-year was not to be refused1 and she might never again receive so good an offer4 ,the proposal of the rich grocer1 which never existed but in her own fertile brain1 is rejected1 and her continuance as housekeeper and nurse secured by a settlement of a similar sum made on her by her master2 who congratulates himself on having accomplished so advantageous a bargain1 while she is laughing with the valet at his credulity4 ,this same valet1 finding her influence to be omnipotent with his master1 determines on marrying her secretly1 that they may join in plundering the valetudinarian1 whose infirmities furnish a perpetual subject for the coarse pleasantries of both these ungrateful menials4 ,she is now giving him his daily walk on the sunny side of the ,luxembourg ,gardens4 ,see how she turns abruptly down an alley1 in despite of his request to continue where he was3 but the truth is1 her ,argus eyes have discovered his niece and her beautiful children walking at a distance2 and1 as she has not only prevented their admission to his house1 but concealed their visits1 intercepted their letters1 making him believe they are absent from ,paris and have forgotten him1 she now precludes their meeting2 while to his querulous murmurs at being hurried along1 she answers that the alley she has taken him to is more sheltered4 ,it is true the invalid sometimes half suspects1 not only that he is governed1 but somewhat despotically1 too1 by the worthy and affectionate creature1 whose sole study it is to take care of his health4 ,he considers it hard to be debarred from sending for one of his old friends to play a party at picquet1 or a game at chess with him1 during the long winter evenings2 and he thinks it would be pleasanter to have some of his female relatives occasionally to dinner3 but as the least hint on these subjects never fails to produce ill-humour on the part of the good ,jeanette1 who declares that such unreasonable indulgence would inevitably destroy the precious health of ,monsieur1 he submits to her will2 and while wholly governed by an ignorant and artful servant1 can still smile that he is free from being henpecked by a wife4 ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,in no part of ,paris are so many children to be seen us in the gardens of the ,luxembourg4 ,at every step may be encountered groups of playful creatures of every age1 from the infant slumbering in its nurse's arms1 to the healthful girl holding her little brother or sister by the hand as her little charge toddles along2 or the manly boy1 who gives his arm to his younger sister with all the air of protection of manhood4 ,what joyous sounds of mirth come from each group--the clear voices ringing pleasantly on the ear1 from creatures fair and blooming as the flowers of the rich parterres among which they wander6 ,how each group examines the other--half-disposed to join in each other's sports1 but withheld by a vague fear of making the first advances--a fear which indicates that even already civilisation and the artificial habits it engenders1 have taught them the restraint it imposes6 ,the nurses1 too1 scrutinise each other1 and their little masters and misses1 as they meet4 ,they take in at a glance the toilettes of each1 and judge with an extraordinary accuracy the station of life to which they appertain4 ,the child of noble birth is known by the simplicity of its dress and the good manners of its bonne2 while that of the parvenu is at once recognised by the showiness and expensiveness of its clothes1 and the superciliousness of its nurse1 who1 accustomed to the purse-proud pretensions of her employers1 values nothing so much as all the attributes that indicate the possession of wealth4 ,the little children look wistfully at each other every time they meet2 then begin to smile1 and at length approach1 and join1 half-timidly1 half-laughingly1 in each other's sports4 ,the nurses1 too1 draw near1 enter into a conversation1 in which each endeavours to insinuate the importance of her young charge1 and consequently her own2 while the children have already contracted an intimacy1 which is exemplified by running hand-in-hand together1 their clear jocund voices being mingled4 ,it is a beautiful sight to behold these gay creatures1 who have little more than passed the first two or three years of life1 with the roses of health glowing on their dimpled cheeks1 and the joyousness of infancy sparkling in their eyes4 ,they know nought of existence but its smiles2 and1 caressed by doating parents1 have not a want unsatisfied4 ,entering life all hope and gaiety1 what a contrast do they offer to the groups of old men who must so soon leave it1 who are basking in the sunshine so near them6 ,yet they1 too1 have had their hours of joyous infancy2 and1 old and faded as they are1 they have been doated on1 as they gambolled like the happy little beings they now pause to contemplate4 ,there was something touching in the contrast of youth and age brought thus together1 and ,i thought that more than one of the old men seemed to feel it as they looked on the happy children4 ,i met my new acquaintance1 ,dr4 ,p----1 who was walking with two or three savans2 and1 having spoken to him1 he joined us in our promenade1 and greatly added to its pleasure by his sensible remarks and by his cheerful tone of mind4 ,he told me that the sight of the fine children daily to be met in the ,luxembourg ,gardens1 was as exhilarating to his spirits as the gay flowers in the parterre and that he had frequently prescribed a walk here to those whose minds stood in need of such a stimulant4 ,the ,general and ,countess d',orsay arrived yesterday from their chteau1 in ,franche-,comt4 ,a long correspondence had taught me to appreciate the gifted mind of ,madame1 who1 to solid attainments1 joins a sparkling wit and vivacity that render her conversation delightful4 ,the ,countess d',orsay has been a celebrated beauty2 and1 though a grandmother1 still retains considerable traces of it4 ,her countenance is so spirituelle and piquant1 that it gives additional point to the clever things she perpetually utters2 and what greatly enhances her attractions is the perfect freedom from any of the airs of a bel esprit1 and the total exemption from affectation that distinguishes her4 ,general d',orsay1 known from his youth as ,le ,beau d',orsay1 still justifies the appellation1 for he is the handsomest man of his age that ,i have ever beheld4 ,it is said that when the ,emperor ,napoleon first saw him1 he observed that he would make an admirable model for a ,jupiter1 so noble and commanding was the character of his beauty4 ,like most people remarkable for good looks1 ,general d',orsay is reported to have been wholly free from vanity2 to which1 perhaps1 may be attributed the general assent accorded to his personal attractions which1 while universally admitted1 excited none of the envy and ill-will which such advantages but too often draw on their possessor4 ,there is a calm and dignified simplicity in the manners of ,general d',orsay1 that harmonises well with his lofty bearing4 ,it is very gratifying to witness the affection and good intelligence that reign in the domestic circles in ,france4 ,grandfathers and grandmothers here meet with an attention from their children and grandchildren1 the demonstrations of which are very touching2 and ,i often see gay and brilliant parties abandoned by some of those with whom ,i am in the habit of daily intercourse1 in order that they may pass the evenings with their aged relatives4 ,frequently do ,i see the beautiful ,duchesse de ,guiche enter the salon of her grandmother1 sparkling in diamonds1 after having hurried away from some splendid fte1 of which she was the brightest ornament1 to spend an hour with her before she retired to rest2 and the ,countess d',orsay is so devoted to her mother1 that nearly her whole time is passed with her4 ,it is pleasant to see the mother and grandmother inspecting and commenting on the toilette of the lovely daughter1 of whom they are so justly proud1 while she is wholly occupied in inquiring about the health of each1 or answering their questions relative to that of her children4 ,the good and venerable ,duc de ,gramont examines his daughter-in-law through his eyeglass1 and1 with an air of paternal affection1 observes to ,general d',orsay1 ,how well our daughter looks to-night6 ,madame ,craufurd1 referring to her great age last evening1 said to me1 and a tear stole down her cheek while she spoke3 ,ah1 my dear friend6 how can ,i think that ,i must soon leave all those who love me so much1 and whom ,i so dote on1 without bitter regret8 ,yes1 ,i am too happy here to be as resigned as ,i ought to be to meet death4 ,saw ,potier in the ,ci-devant ,jeune ,homme last night4 ,it is an excellent piece of acting1 from the first scene where he appears in all the infirmity of age1 in his night-cap and flannel dressing-gown1 to the last1 in which he portrays tho would-be young man4 ,his face1 his figure1 his cough1 are inimitable2 and when he recounts to his servant the gaieties of the previous night1 the hollow cheek1 sunken eye1 and hurried breathing of the ,ci-devant ,jeune ,homme render the scene most impressive4 ,nothing could be more comic than the metamorphose effected in his appearance by dress1 except it were his endeavours to assume an air and countenance suitable to the juvenility of his toilette2 while1 at intervals1 some irrepressible symptom of infirmity reminded the audience of the pangs the effort to appear young inflicted on him4 ,potier is a finished actor1 and leaves nothing to be wished1 except that he may long continue to perform and delight his audience as last night4 ,dined yesterday at the ,countess d',orsay's1 with a large family party4 ,the only stranger was ,sir ,francis ,burdett4 ,a most agreeable dinner1 followed by a very pleasant evening4 ,i have seldom seen any ,englishman enjoy ,french society as much as the worthy baronet does4 ,he speaks the language with great facility1 is well acquainted with its literature1 and has none of the prejudices which militate so much against acquiring a perfect knowledge of the manners and customs of a foreign country4 ,french society has decidedly one great superiority over ,english1 and that is its freedom from those topics which too often engross so considerable a portion of male conversation1 even in the presence of ladies1 in ,england4 ,i have often passed the evening previously and subsequently to a race1 in which many of the men present took a lively interest1 without ever hearing it made the subject of conversation4 ,could this be said of a party in ,england1 on a similar occasion8 ,nor do the men here talk of their shooting or hunting before women1 as with us4 ,this is a great relief1 for in ,england many a woman is doomed to listen to interminable tales of slaughtered grouse1 partridges1 and pheasants2 of hair breadth 'scapes by flood and field1 and venturous leaps1 the descriptions of which leave one in doubt whether the narrator or his horse be the greater animal of the two1 and render the poor listener more fatigued by the recital than either was by the longest chase4 ,a dissertation on the comparative merits of ,manton's1 ,lancaster's1 and ,moore's guns1 and the advantage of percussion locks1 it is true1 generally diversifies the conversation4 ,then how edifying it is to hear the pedigrees of horses--the odds for and against the favourite winning such or such a race--the good or bad books of the talkers--the hedging or backing of the betters6 ,yet all this are women condemned to hear on the eve of a race1 or during the shooting or hunting season1 should their evil stars bring them into the society of any of the ,nimrods or sportsmen of the day1 who think it not only allowable to devote nearly all their time to such pursuits1 but to talk of little else4 ,the woman who aims at being popular in her county1 must not only listen patiently1 but evince a lively interest in these intellectual occupations2 while1 if the truth was confessed1 she is thoroughly ennuye by these details of them3 or if not1 it must be inferred that she has lost much of the refinement of mind and taste peculiar to the well-educated portion of her sex4 ,i do not object to men liking racing1 hunting1 and shooting4 ,the first preserves the breed of horses1 for which ,england is so justly celebrated1 and hunting keeps up the skill in horsemanship in which our men excel4 ,what ,i do object to is their making these pursuits the constant topics of conversation before women1 instead of selecting those more suitable to the tastes and habits of the latter4 ,there is none of the affectation of avoiding subjects supposed to be uninteresting to women visible in the men here4 ,they do not utter with a smile--half pity1 half condescension1--we must not talk politics before the ladies2 they merely avoid entering into discussions1 or exhibiting party spirit1 and shew their deference for female society by speaking on literature1 on which they politely seem to take for granted that women are well informed4 ,perhaps this deferential treatment of the gentler sex may not be wholly caused by the good breeding of the men in ,france2 for ,i strongly suspect that the women here would be very little disposed to submit to the nonchalance that prompts the conduct ,i have referred to in ,england1 and that any man who would make his horses or his field-sports the topic of discourse in their presence1 would soon find himself expelled from their society4 ,frenchwomen still think1 and with reason1 that they govern the tone of the circles in which they move1 and look with jealousy on any infringement of the respectful attention they consider to be their due4 ,a few nights ago ,i saw the ,duchesse de ,guiche1 on her return from a reception at court1 sparkling in diamonds1 and looking so beautiful that she reminded me of ,burke's description of the lovely and unfortunate ,marie-,antoinette4 ,to-day ,i thought her still more attractive1 when1 wearing only a simple white peignoir1 and her matchless hair bound tightly round her classically shaped head1 ,i saw her enacting the part of garde-malade to her children1 who have caught the measles4 ,with a large1 and well-chosen nursery-establishment1 she would confide her precious charge to no care but her own1 and moved from each little white bed to the other with noiseless step and anxious glance1 bringing comfort to the dear little invalid in each4 ,no wonder that her children adore her1 for never was there so devoted a mother4 ,in the meridian of youth and beauty1 and filling so brilliant a position in ,france1 it is touching to witness how wholly engrossed this amiable young woman's thoughts are by her domestic duties4 ,she incites1 by sharing1 the studies of her boys2 and already is her little girl1 owing to her mother's judicious system1 cited as a model4 ,it was pleasant to see the ,duc1 when released from his attendance at court1 hurrying into the sick chamber of his children1 and their languid eyes1 lighting up with a momentary animation1 and their feverish lips relaxing into a smile1 at the sound of his well-known voice4 ,and this is the couple considered to be the glass of fashion and the mould of form1 the observed of all observers1 of the courtly circle at ,paris6 ,who could behold them as ,i have done1 in that sick room1 without acknowledging that1 despite of all that has been said of the deleterious influence of courts on the feelings of those who live much in them1 the truly good pass unharmed through the dangerous ordeal8 ,went to the ,thtre des ,nouveauts last night1 where ,i saw ,la ,maison du ,rempart4 ,the ,parisians seem to have decided taste for bringing scenes of riot and disorder on the stage2 and the tendency of such exhibitions is any thing but salutary with so inflammable a people1 and in times like the present4 ,one of the scenes of ,la ,maison du ,rempart represents an armed mob demolishing the house of a citizen--an act of violence that seemed to afford great satisfaction to the majority of the audience2 and1 though the period represented is that of the ,fronde1 the acts of the rabble strongly assimilated with those of the same class in later times1 when the revolution let loose on hapless ,france the worst of all tyrants--a reckless and sanguinary mob4 ,i cannot help feeling alarmed at the consequences likely to result from such performances4 ,sparks of fire flung among gunpowder are not more dangerous4 ,shewing a populace what they can effect by brutal force is a dangerous experiment2 it is like letting a tame lion see how easily he could overpower his keepers4 ,mr4 ,cuthbert and ,m4 ,charles ,laffitte dined here yesterday4 ,both are excellent specimens of their countries2 the former being well-informed and agreeable1 and the latter possessing all the good sense we believe to be peculiar to an ,englishman1 with the high breeding that appertains to a thoroughly well-educated ,frenchman4 ,the advance of civilization was evident in both these gentlemen--the ,englishman speaking ,french with purity and fluency1 and the ,frenchman speaking ,english like a born ,briton4 ,twenty years ago1 this would have been considered a very rare occurrence1 while now it excites little remark4 ,but it is not alone the languages of the different countries that ,mr4 ,cuthbert and ,m4 ,charles ,laffitte have acquired1 for both are well acquainted with the literature of each1 which renders their society very agreeable4 ,spent last evening in the ,rue d',anjou1 where ,i met ,lady ,combermere1 the ,dowager ,lady ,hawarden1 and ,mrs4 ,masters4 ,lady ,combermere is lively and agreeable1 un peu romanesque1 which gives great originality to her conversation1 and sings ,mrs4 ,arkwright's beautiful ballads with great feeling4 ,mr4 ,charles ,grant#d dined here yesterday4 ,he is a very sensible man1 possessing a vast fund of general information1 with gentle and highly-polished manners4 ,what a charm there is in agreeable manners1 and how soon one feels at ease with those who possess them6 ,spent1 or mis-spent1 a great portion of the day in visiting the curiosity shops on the ,quai ,voltaire1 and came away from them with a lighter purse than ,i entered4 ,there is no resisting1 at least ,i find it so1 the exquisite porcelaine de ,svres1 off which the dainty dames of the reign of ,louis the ,fourteenth feasted1 or which held their bouquets1 or pot pourri4 ,an tui of gold set with oriental agates and brilliants1 and a flacon of rock crystal1 both of which once appertained to ,madame de ,svign1 vanquished my prudence4 ,would that with the possession of these articles1 often used by her1 ,i could also inherit the matchless grace with which her pen could invest every subject it touched6 ,but1 alas6 it is easier to acquire the beautiful bijouterie1 rendered still more valuable by having belonged to celebrated people1 than the talent that gained their celebrity2 and so ,i must be content with inhaling esprit de rose from the flacon of ,madame de ,svign1 without aspiring to any portion of the esprit for which she was so distinguished4 ,i am now rich in the possession of objects once belonging to remarkable women1 and ,i am not a little content with my acquisitions4 ,i can boast the gold and enamelled pincushion of ,madame de ,maintenon1 heart-shaped1 and stuck as full of pins as the hearts of the ,french ,protestants were with thorns by the revocation of the ,edict of ,nantes2 to which she is said to have so greatly contributed by her counsel to her infatuated lover1 ,louis the ,fourteenth4 ,i can indulge in a pinch of snuff from the tabatire of the ,marquise de ,rambouillet1 hold my court-plaster in the bote mouches of ,ninon de l',enclos1 and cut ribands with the scissors of ,madame de ,deffand4 ,this desire of obtaining objects that have belonged to celebrated people may be1 and often is1 considered puerile2 but confess to the weakness1 and the contemplation of the little memorials ,i have named awakens recollections in my mind fraught with interest4 ,i can fancy ,madame de ,svign1 who was as amiable as she was clever1 and whose tenderness towards her daughter is demonstrated so naturally and touchingly in the letters she addressed to her1 holding the flacon now mine to the nostrils of ,madame de ,grignan1 in whose health she was always so much more interested than in her own4 ,i can see in my mind's eye the precise and demure ,madame de ,maintenon taking a pin from the very pincushion now before me1 to prevent the opening of her kerchief1 and so conceal even her throat from the prying eyes of the aged voluptuary1 whose passions the wily prude is said to have excited by a concealment of a portion of her person that had1 in all probability1 ceased to possess charms enough to produce this effect1 if revealed4 ,this extreme reserve on the part of the mature coquette evinced a profound knowledge of mankind1 and1 above all1 of him on whom she practised her arts4 ,the profuse display of the bust and shoulders in those days1 when the ladies of the court left so little to the imagination of the amorous monarch on whose heart so many of them had designs1 must have impaired the effect meant to have been achieved by the indelicate exposure2 for--hear it ye fair dames1 with whose snowy busts and dimpled shoulders the eyes of your male acquaintance are as familiar as with your faces6--the charms of nature1 however beautiful1 fall short of the ideal perfection accorded to them by the imagination1 when unseen4 ,the clever ,maintenon1 aware of this fact1 of which the less wise of her sex are ignorant or forgetful1 afforded a striking contrast in her dress to the women around her1 and piquing first the curiosity1 and then the passions1 of the old libertine1 acquired an influence over him when she had long passed the meridian of her personal attractions1 which youthful beauties1 who left him no room to doubt their charms1 or to exaggerate them as imagination is prone to do1 could never accomplish4 ,this very pincushion1 with its red velvet heart stuck with pins1 was probably a gift from the enamoured ,louis1 and meant to be symbolical of the state of his own2 which1 in hardness1 it might be truly said to resemble4 ,it may have often been placed on her table when ,maintenon was paying the penalty of her hard-earned greatness by the painful task of endeavouring--as she acknowledged--to amuse a man who was no longer amusable4 ,could it speak1 it might relate the wearisome hours passed in a palace 7for the demon ,ennui cannot be expelled even from the most brilliant2 nay1 prefers1 it is said1 to select them for his abode71 and we should learn1 that while an object of envy to thousands1 the mistress1 or unacknowledged wife of le ,grand ,monarque1 was but little more happy than the widow of ,scarron when steeped in poverty4 ,madame de ,maintenon discovered what hundreds before and since have done--that splendour and greatness cannot confer happiness2 and1 while trying to amuse a man who1 though possessed of sovereign power1 has lost all sense of enjoyment1 must have reverted1 perhaps with a sigh1 to the little chamber in which she so long soothed the sick bed of the witty octogenarian1 ,scarron2 who1 gay and cheerful to the last1 could make her smile by his sprightly and spirituelles sallies1 which neither the evils of poverty nor pain could subdue4 ,perhaps this pincushion has lain on her table when ,madame de ,maintenon listened to the animating conversation of ,racine1 or heard him read aloud1 with that spirit and deep pathos for which his reading was so remarkable1 his ,esther and ,alhalie1 previously to their performance at ,st4-,cyr4 ,that she did not make his peace with the king1 when he offended him by writing an essay to prove that long wars1 however likely to reflect glory on a sovereign1 were sure to entail misery on his subjects1 shews that either her influence over the mind of ,louis was much less powerful than has been believed1 or that she was deficient in the feelings that must have prompted her to exert it by pleading for him4 ,the ungenerous conduct of the king in banishing from his court a man whose genius shed a purer lustre over it than all the battles ,boileau has sung1 and for a cause that merited praise instead of displeasure1 has always appeared to me to be indicative of great meanness as well as hardness of heart2 and while lamenting the weakness of ,racine1 originating in a morbid sensibility that rendered his disgrace at court so painful and humiliating to the poet as to cause his death1 ,i am still less disposed to pardon the sovereign that could thus excite into undue action a sensibility1 the effects of which led its victim to the grave4 ,the diamond-mounted tabatire now on my table once occupied a place on that of the ,marquise de ,rambouillet1 in that htel so celebrated1 not only for the efforts made by its coterie towards refining the manners and morals of her day1 but the language also1 until the affectation to which its members carried their notions of purity1 exposed them to a ridicule that tended to subvert the influence they had previously exercised over society4 ,molire--the inimitable ,molire--may have been permitted the high distinction of taking a pinch of snuff from it1 while planning his ,prcieuses ,ridicules1 which1 malgr his disingenuous disavowal of the satire being aimed at the ,htel ,rambouillet1 evidently found its subject there4 ,i cannot look at the snuff-box without being reminded of the brilliant circle which its former mistress assembled around her1 and among which ,molire had such excellent opportunities of studying the peculiarities of the class he subsequently painted4 ,little did its members imagine1 when he was admitted to it1 the use he would make of the privilege2 and great must have been their surprise and mortification1 though not avowed1 at the first representation of the ,prcieuses ,ridicules1 in which many of them must have discovered the resemblance to themselves1 though the clever author professed only to ridicule their imitators4 ,les ,femmes ,savantes1 though produced many years subsequently1 also found the originals of its characters in the same source whence ,molire painted ,les ,prcieuses ,ridicules4 ,i can fancy him slily listening to the theme proposed to the assembly by ,mademoiselle ,scudry--the ,sarrades1 as she was styled--,whether a lover jealous1 a lover despised1 a lover separated from the object of his tenderness1 or him who has lost her by death1 was to be esteemed the most unhappy4 ,at a later period of his life1 ,molire might have solved the question from bitter personal experience1 for few ever suffered more from the pangs of jealousy1 and assuredly no one has painted with such vigour--though the comic often prevails over the serious in his delineations--the effects of a passion any thing but comic to him4 ,strange power of genius1 to make others laugh at incidents which had often tormented himself1 and to be able to give humour to characters in various comedies1 actuated by the feelings to which he had so frequently been a victim6 ,i can picture to myself the fair ,julie d',angennes1 who bestowed not her hand on the ,duc de ,montausier until he had served as many years in seeking it as ,jacob had served to gain that of ,rachel1 and until she had passed her thirtieth year 7in order that his passion should become as purified from all grossness1 as was the language spoken among the circle in which she lived71 receiving with dignified reserve the finely painted flowers and poems to illustrate them1 which formed the celebrated ,guirlande de ,julie1 presented to her by her courtly admirer4 ,i see pass before me the fair and elegant dames of that galaxy of wit and beauty1 ,mesdames de ,longueville1 ,lafayette1 and de ,svign1 fluttering their fans as they listened and replied to the gallant compliments of ,voiture1 ,mnage1 ,chapelain1 ,desmarets1 or ,de ,raux1 or to the spirituelle causerie of ,chamfort4 ,what a pity that a society1 no less useful than brilliant at its commencement1 should have degenerated into a coterie1 remarkable at last but for its fantastic and false notions of refinement1 exhibited in a manner that deserved the ridicule it called down6 ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,spent last evening in the ,rue d',anjou3 met there la ,marquise de ,pouleprie1 and the usual habitus4 ,she is a delightful person2 for age has neither chilled the warmth of her heart1 nor impaired the vivacity of her manners4 ,i had heard much of her2 for she is greatly beloved by the ,duchesse de ,guiche and all the ,de ,gramont family2 and she1 knowing their partiality to me1 treated me rather as an old than as a new acquaintance4 ,talking of old times1 to which the ,duc de ,gramont reverted1 the ,marquise mentioned having seen the celebrated ,madame du ,barry in the garden at ,versailles1 when she 7the ,marquise7 was a very young girl4 ,she described her as having a most animated and pleasant countenance1 un petit nez retrouss1 brilliant eyes1 full red lips1 and as being altogether a very attractive person4 ,the ,marquise de ,pouleprie accompanied the ,french royal family to ,england1 and remained with them there during the emigration4 ,she told me that once going through the streets of ,london in a carriage1 with the ,french king1 during an election at ,westminster1 the mob1 ignorant of his rank1 insisted that he and his servants should take off their hats1 and cry out ,long live ,sir ,francis ,burdett6 which his majesty did with great good humour1 and laughed heartily after4 ,went last night to see ,mademoiselle ,mars1 in ,valrie4 ,it was a finished performance1 and worthy of her high reputation4 ,never was there so musical a voice as hers6 ,every tone of it goes direct to the heart1 and its intonations soothe and charm the ear4 ,her countenance1 too1 is peculiarly expressive4 ,even when her eyes1 in the rle she enacted last night1 were fixed1 and supposed to be sightless1 her countenance was still beautiful4 ,there is a harmony in its various expressions that accords perfectly with her clear1 soft1 and liquid voice2 and the united effect of both these attractions renders her irresistible4 ,never did ,art so strongly resemble ,nature as in the acting of this admirable artiste4 ,she identifies herself so completely with the part she performs1 that she not only believes herself for the time being the heroine she represents1 but makes others do so too4 ,there was not a dry eye in the whole of the female part of the audience last night--a homage to her power that no other actress on the ,french stage could now command4 ,the style1 too1 of ,mademoiselle ,mars' acting is the most difficult of all2 because there is no exaggeration1 no violence in it4 ,the same difference exists between it and that of other actresses1 as between a highly finished portrait and a glaringly coloured transparency4 ,the feminine1 the graceful1 and the natural1 are never lost sight of for a moment4 ,the ,french are admirable critics of acting1 and are keenly alive to the beauties of a chaste and finished style1 like that of ,mademoiselle ,mars4 ,in ,paris there is no playing to the galleries1 and for a simple reason3--the occupants of the galleries here are as fastidious as those of the boxes1 and any thing like outraging nature would be censured by them3 whereas1 in other countries1 the broad and the exaggerated almost invariably find favour with the gods4 ,the same pure and refined taste that characterises the acting of ,mademoiselle ,mars presides also over her toilette1 which is always appropriate and becoming4 ,accustomed to the agreeable mixture of literary men in ,london society1 ,i observe1 with regret1 their absence in that of ,paris4 ,i have repeatedly questioned people why this is1 but have never been able to obtain a satisfactory answer4 ,it tells much against the good taste of those who can give the tone to society here1 that literary men should be left out of it2 and if the latter will not mingle with the aristocratic circles they are to blame1 for the union of both is advantageous to the interests of each4 ,parisian society is very exclusive1 and is divided into small coteries1 into which a stranger finds it difficult to become initiated4 ,large routes are rare1 and not at all suited to the tastes of the ,french people2 who comment with merriment1 if not with ridicule1 on the evening parties in ,london1 where the rooms being too small to contain half the guests invited1 the stairs and ante-rooms are filled by a crowd1 in which not only the power of conversing1 but almost of respiring is impeded4 ,the ,french ladies attribute the want of freshness so remarkable in the toilettes of ,englishwomen1 to their crowded routes1 and the knowledge of its being impossible for a robe1 or at least of a greater portion of one than covers a bust1 to be seen2 which induces the fair wearers to economise1 by rarely indulging in new dresses4 ,at ,paris certain ladies of distinction open their salons1 on one evening of each week1 to a circle of their acquaintances1 not too numerous to banish that ease and confidence which form the delight of society4 ,each lady takes an evening for her receptions1 and no one interferes with her arrangements by giving a party on the same night4 ,the individuals of each circle are thus in the habit of being continually in each other's society2 consequently the etiquette and formality1 so gnant among acquaintances who seldom meet1 are banished4 ,to preserve the charm of these unceremonious runions1 strangers are seldom admitted to them1 but are invited to the balls1 dinners1 or large parties1 where they see ,french people en grande lenue1 both in dress and manner1 instead of penetrating into the more agreeable parties to which ,i have referred1 where the graceful nglig of a demi-toilette prevails1 and the lively causerie of the habitus de la maison supersedes the constraint of ceremony4 ,such a society is precisely the sort of one that literary men would1 ,i should suppose1 like to mingle in1 to unbend their minds from graver studies1 and yet not pass their time unprofitably2 for in it1 politics1 literature1 and the fine arts1 generally furnish the topics of conversation3 from which1 however1 the warmth of discussion1 which too frequently renders politics a prohibited subject1 is excluded1 or the pedantry that sometimes spoils literary causerie is banished4 ,french people1 male and female1 talk well2 give their opinions with readiness and vivacity2 often striking out ideas as original as they are brilliant2 highly suggestive to more profound thinkers1 but which they dispense with as much prodigality as a spendthrift throws away his small coin1 conscious of having more at his disposal4 ,quick of perception1 they jump1 rather than march1 to a conclusion1 at which an ,englishman or a ,german would arrive leisurely1 enabled to tell all the particulars of the route1 but which the ,frenchman would know little of from having arrived by some shorter road4 ,this quickness of perception exempts them from the necessity of devoting much of the time and study which the ,english or ,germans employ in forming opinions1 but it also precludes their being able to reason as justly or as gravely on those they form4 ,walked in the gardens of the ,tuileries to-day4 ,what a contrast their frequenters offer to those of the ,luxembourg6 ,in the ,tuileries1 the promenaders look as if they only walked there to display their tasteful dresses and pretty persons4 ,the women eye each other as they pass1 and can tell at a glance whether their respective chapeaux have come from the atelier of ,herbault1 or the less recherc magasin de modes of some more humble modiste4 ,how rapidly can they see whether the ,cashmere shawl of some passing dame owes its rich but sober tints to an ,indian loom1 or to the fabric of ,m4 ,ternaux1 who so skilfully imitates the exotic luxury2 and what a difference does the circumstance make in their estimation of the wearer6 ,the beauty of a woman1 however great it may be1 excites less envy in the minds of her own sex in ,france1 than does the possession of a fine ,cashmere1 or a garniture of real ,russian sable--objects of general desire to every ,parisian belle4 ,i met few handsome women to-day1 but these few were remarkably striking4 ,in ,kensington ,gardens ,i should have encountered thrice as many2 but there ,i should also have seen more plain ones than here4 ,not that ,englishwomen en masse are not better-looking than the ,french1 but that these last are so skilful in concealing defects1 and revealing beauties by the appropriateness and good taste in their choice of dress1 that even the plain cease to appear so2 and many a woman looks piquant1 if not pretty1 at ,paris1 thanks to her modiste1 her couturire1 and her cordonnier1 who1 without their artful aid1 would be plain indeed4 ,it is pleasant to behold groups of well-dressed women walking1 as only ,french women ever do walk1 nimbly moving their little feet bien chauss1 and with an air half timid1 half espigle1 that elicits the admiration they affect to avoid4 ,the rich and varied material of their robes1 the pretty chapeaux1 from which peep forth such coquettish glances1 the modest assurance--for their self-possession amounts precisely to that--and the ease and elegance of their carriage1 give them attractions we might seek for in vain in the women of other countries1 however superior these last may be in beauty of complexion or roundness of contour1 for which ,french women in general are not remarkable4 ,the men who frequent the gardens of the ,tuileries are of a different order to those met with in the ,luxembourg4 ,they consist chiefly of military men and young fashionables1 who go to admire the pretty women1 and elderly and middle-aged ones1 who meet in knots and talk politics with all the animation peculiar to their nation4 ,children do not abound in the walks here1 as in the ,luxembourg2 and those to be seen are evidently brought by some fond mother1 proud of exhibiting her boys and girls in their smart dresses4 ,the ,tuileries ,gardens1 so beautiful in summer1 are not without their attractions in winter4 ,the trees1 though leafless1 look well1 rearing their tall branches towards the clear sky1 and the statues and vases seen through vistas of evergreen shrubs1 with the gilded railing which gives back the rays of the bright1 though cold sun1 and the rich velvets of every hue in which the women are enveloped1 giving them the appearance of moving parterres of dahlias1 all render the scene a very exhilarating one to the spirits4 ,i observe a difference in the usages de moeurs at ,paris1 and in those of ,london1 of which an ignorance might lead to give offence4 ,in ,england1 a lady is expected to bow to a gentleman before he presumes to do so to her1 thus leaving her the choice of acknowledging his acquaintance1 or not2 but in ,france it is otherwise1 for a man takes off his hat to every woman whom he has ever met in society1 although he does not address her1 unless she encourages him to do so4 ,in ,paris1 if two men are walking or riding together1 and one of them bows to a lady of his acquaintance1 the other also takes off his hat1 as a mark of respect to the lady known to his friend1 although he is not acquainted with her4 ,the mode of salutation is also much more deferential towards women in ,france than in ,england4 ,the hat is held a second longer off the head1 the bow is lower1 and the smile of recognition is more amiable1 by which1 ,i mean1 that it is meant to display the pleasure experienced by the meeting4 ,it is true that the really well-bred ,englishmen are not to be surpassed in politeness and good manners by those of any other country1 but all are not such2 and ,i have seen instances of men in ,london acknowledging the presence of ladies1 by merely touching1 instead of taking off1 their hats when bowing to them2 and though ,i accounted for this solecism in good breeding by the belief that it proceeded from the persons practising it wearing wigs1 ,i discovered that there was not even so good an excuse as the fear of deranging them1 and that their incivility proceeded from ignorance1 or nonchalance1 while the glum countenance of him who bowed betrayed rather a regret for the necessity of touching his beaver1 than a pleasure at meeting her for whom the salute was intended4 ,time flies away rapidly here1 and its flight seems to me to mark two distinct states of existence4 ,my mornings are devoted wholly to reading history1 poetry1 or belles lettres1 which abstract me so completely from the actual present to the past1 that the hours so disposed of appear to be the actual life1 and those given up to society the shadowy and unreal4 ,this forcible contrast between the two portions of the same day1 gives charms to both1 though ,i confess the hours passed in my library are those which leave behind them the pleasantest reflections4 ,i experienced this sentiment when in the hey-day of youth1 and surrounded by some of the most gifted persons in ,england2 but now1 as age advances1 the love of solitude and repose increases1 and a life spent in study appears to me to be the one of all others the most desirable1 as the enjoyment of the best thoughts of the best authors is preferable even to their conversation1 could it be had1 and1 consequently to that of the cleverest men to be met with in society4 ,some pleasant people dined here yesterday4 ,among them was ,colonel ,caradoc1 the son of our old friend ,lord ,howden4 ,he possesses great and versatile information1 is good-looking1 well-bred1 and has superior abilities2 in short1 he has all the means1 and appliances to boot1 to make a distinguished figure1 in life1 if he lacks not the ambition and energy to use them2 but1 born to station and fortune1 he may want the incitement which the absence of these advantages furnishes1 and be content to enjoy the good he already has1 instead of seeking greater distinction4 ,colonel ,caradoc's conversation is brilliant and epigrammatic2 and if occasionally a too evident consciousness of his own powers is suffered to be revealed in it1 those who know it to be well-founded will pardon his self-complacency1 and not join with the persons1 and they are not few1 whose amour-propre is wounded by the display of his1 and who question1 what really is not questionable1 the foundation on which his pretensions are based4 ,the clever1 like the handsome1 to be pardoned for being so1 should affect a humility they are but too seldom in the habit of feeling2 and to acquire popularity must appear unconscious of meriting it4 ,this is one of the many penalties entailed on the gifted in mind or person4 ,january #ast1 #ahbi4--,there is always something grave1 if not awful1 in the opening of a new year2 for who knows what may occur to render it memorable for ever6 ,if the bygone one has been marked by aught sad1 the arrival of the new reminds one of the lapse of time2 and though the destroyer brings patience1 we sigh to think that we may have new occasions for its difficult exercise4 ,who can forbear from trembling lest the opening year may find us at its close with a lessened circle4 ,some1 now dear and confided in1 may become estranged1 or one dearer than life may be snatched away whose place never can be supplied6 ,the thought is too painful to be borne1 and makes one look around with increased affection on those dear to us4 ,the custom prevalent at ,paris of offering an exchange of gifts on the first day of the new year was1 perhaps1 originally intended to banish the melancholy reflections such an epoch is calculated to awaken4 ,my tables are so crowded with gifts that ,i might set up a petit ,dunkerque of my own1 for not a single friend has omitted to send me a present4 ,these gifts are to be acknowledged by ones of similar value1 and ,i must go and put my taste to the test in selecting cadeaux to send in return4 ,spent several hours yesterday in the gallery of the ,louvre4 ,the collection of antiquities1 though a very rich1 one1 dwindles into insignificance when compared with that of the ,vatican1 and the halls in which it is arranged appear mean in the eyes of those accustomed to see the numerous and splendid ones of the ,roman edifice4 ,nevertheless1 ,i felt much satisfaction in lounging through groups of statues1 and busts of the remarkable men and women of antiquity1 with the countenances of many of whom ,i had made myself familiar in the ,vatican1 the ,muse of the ,capitol1 or in the collection at ,naples1 where facsimiles of several of them are to be found4 ,nor had ,i less pleasure in contemplating the personifications of the beau idal of the ancient sculptors1 exhibited in their gods and goddesses1 in whose faultless faces the expression of all passion seems to have been carefully avoided4 ,whether this peculiarity is to be accounted for by the desire of the artist to signify the superiority of the ,pagan divinities over mortals1 by this absence of any trace of earthly feelings1 or whether it was thought that any decided expression might deteriorate from the character of repose and beauty that marks the works of the great sculptors of antiquity1 ,i know not1 but the effect produced on my mind by the contemplation of these calm and beautiful faces1 has something so soothing in it1 that ,i can well imagine with what pleasure those engaged in the turmoils of war1 or the scarcely less exciting arena of politics1 in former ages1 must have turned from their mundane cares to look on these personations of their fabled deities1 whose tranquil beauty forms so soothing a contrast to mortal toils4 ,i have observed this calmness of expression in the faces of many of the most celebrated statues of antiquity1 in the ,aristides at ,naples1 ,i remember being struck with it1 and noticing that he who was banished through the envy excited by his being styled the ,just1 was represented as unmoved as if the injustice of his countrymen no more affected the even tenour of his mind1 than the passions of mortals disturb those of the mythological divinities of the ancients4 ,a long residence in ,italy1 and a habit of frequenting the galleries containing the finest works of art there1 engender a love of sculpture and painting1 that renders it not only a luxury but almost a necessary of life to pass some hours occasionally among the all but breathing marbles and glorious pictures bequeathed to posterity by the mighty artists of old4 ,i love to pass such hours alone1 or in the society of some one as partial1 but more skilled in such studies than myself2 and such a companion ,i have found in the ,baron de ,cailleux1 an old acquaintance1 and now ,under-,director of the ,muse1 whose knowledge of the fine arts equals his love for them4 ,the contemplation of the chefs-d'uvre of the old masters begets a tender melancholy in the mind1 that is not without a charm for those addicted to it4 ,these stand the results of long lives devoted to the developement of the genius that embodied these inspirations1 and left to the world the fruit of hours of toil and seclusion1--hours snatched from the tempting pleasures that cease not to court the senses1 but which they who laboured for posterity resisted4 ,the long vigils1 the solitary days1 the hopes and fears1 the fears more frequent than the hopes1 the depression of spirits1 and the injustice or the indifference of contemporaries1 endured by all who have ever devoted their lives to art1 are present to my mind when ,i behold the great works of other times4 ,what cheered these men of genius during their toils and enabled them to finish their glorious works8 ,was it not the hope that from posterity they would meet with the admiration1 the sympathy1 denied them by their contemporaries8--as the prisoner in his gloomy dungeon1 refused all pity1 seeks consolation by tracing a few lines on its dreary walls1 in appeal to the sympathy of some future inhabitant who may be doomed to take his place4 ,i seem to be paying a portion of the debt due by posterity to those who laboured long and painfully for it1 when ,i stand rapt in admiration before the works of the great masters of the olden time1 my heart touched with a lively sympathy for their destinies2 nor can ,i look on the glorious faces or glowing landscapes that remain to us1 evincing the triumph of genius over even time itself1 by preserving on canvass the semblance of all that charmed in nature1 without experiencing the sentiment so naturally and beautifully expressed in the celebrated picture1 by ,nicolas ,poussin1 of a touching scene in ,arcadia1 in which is a tomb near to which two shepherds are reading the inscription4 ,i1 too1 was an ,arcadian4 ,yes1 that which delighted the artists of old1 they have transmitted to us with a tender confidence that when contemplating these bequests we would remember with sympathy that they1 like us1 had felt the charms they delineated4 ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,went to see the ,htel d',orsay1 to-day4 ,even in its ruin it still retains many of the vestiges of its former splendour4 ,the salle manger1 for the decoration of which its owner bought1 and had conveyed from ,rome1 the columns of the ,temple of ,nero1 is now--hear it1 ye who have taste6--converted into a stable2 the salons1 once filled with the most precious works of art1 are now crumbled to decay1 and the vast garden where bloomed the rarest exotics1 and in which were several of the statues that are now in the gardens of the ,tuileries1 is now turned into paddocks for horses4 ,it made me sad to look at this scene of devastation1 the result of a revolution which plunged so many noble families from almost boundless wealth into comparative poverty1 and scattered collections of the works of art that whole lives were passed in forming4 ,i remember ,mr4 ,millingen1 the antiquary1 telling me in ,italy that when yet little more than a boy he was taken to view the ,htel d',orsay1 then one of the most magnificent houses in ,paris1 and containing the finest collection of pictures and statues1 and that its splendour made such an impression on his mind that he had never forgotten it4 ,with an admirable taste and a princely fortune1 ,count d',orsay spared neither trouble nor expense to render his house the focus of all that was rich and rare2 and1 with a spirit that does not always animate the possessor of rare works of art1 he opened it to the young artists of the day1 who were permitted to study in its gallery and salons4 ,in the slate drawing-rooms a fanciful notion of the ,count's was carried into effect and was greatly admired1 though1 ,i believe1 owing to the great expense1 the mode was not adopted in other houses1 namely1 on the folding-doors of the suite being thrown open to admit company1 certain pedals connected with them were put in motion1 and a strain of music was produced1 which announced the presence of guests1 and the doors of each of the drawing-rooms when opened took up the air1 and continued it until closed4 ,many of the old noblesse have been describing the splendour of the ,htel d',orsay to me since ,i have been at ,paris1 and the ,duc de ,talleyrand said it almost realised the notion of a fairy palace4 ,could the owner who expended such vast sums on its decoration1 behold it in its present ruin1 he could never recognise it2 but such would be the case with many a one whose stately palaces became the prey of a furious rabble1 let loose to pillage by a revolution--that most fearful of all calamities1 pestilence only excepted1 that can befall a country4 ,general ,ornano1 his stepson ,count ,waleski1 ,m4 ,achille ,la ,marre1 ,general d',orsay1 and ,mr4 ,francis ,baring dined here yesterday4 ,general ,ornano is agreeable and well-mannered4 ,we had music in the evening1 and the lively and pretty ,madame la ,h---- came4 ,she is greatly admired1 and no wonder2 for she is not only handsome1 but clever and piquant4 ,hers does not appear to be a well-assorted marriage1 for ,m4 la ,h---- is grave1 if not austere1 in his manners1 while she is full of gaiety and vivacity1 the demonstrations of which seem to give him any thing but pleasure4 ,i know not which is most to be pitied1 a saturnine husband whose gravity is only increased by the gaiety of his wife1 or the gay wife whose exuberance of spirits finds no sympathy in the ,mentor-like husband4 ,half1 if not all1 the unhappy marriages1 accounted for by incompatibility of humour1 might with more correctness be attributed to a total misunderstanding of each other's characters and dispositions in the parties who drag a heavy and galling chain through life1 the links of which might be rendered light and easy to be borne1 if the wearers took but half the pains to comprehend each other's peculiarities that they in general do to reproach or to resent the annoyance these peculiarities occasion them4 ,an austere man would learn that the gaiety of his wife was as natural and excusable a peculiarity in her1 as was his gravity in him1 and consequently would not resent it2 and the lively wife would view the saturnine humour of her husband as a malady demanding forbearance and kindness4 ,the indissolubility of marriage1 so often urged as an additional cause for aggravating the sense of annoyance experienced by those wedded but unsuited to each other1 is1 in my opinion1 one of the strongest motives for using every endeavour to render the union supportable1 if not agreeable4 ,if a dwelling known to be unalienable has some defect which makes it unsuited to the taste of its owner1 he either ameliorates it1 or1 if that be impracticable1 he adopts the resolution of supporting its inconvenience with patience2 so should a philosophical mind bear all that displeases in a union in which even the most fortunate find something to pity or forgive4 ,it is unfortunate that this same philosophy1 considered so excellent a panacea for enabling us to bear ills1 should be so rarely used that people can seldom judge of its efficacy when required6 ,saw la ,gazza ,ladra last night1 in which ,malibran enacted ,ninetta1 and added new laurels to the wreath accorded her by public opinion4 ,her singing in the duo1 in the prison scene1 was one of the most touching performances ,i ever heard2 and her acting gave a fearful reality to the picture4 ,i have been reading the ,calamities of ,authors all the morning1 and find ,i like the book even better on a second perusal--no mean praise1 for the first greatly pleased me4 ,so it is with all the works of ,mr4 ,d',israeli1 who writes con amore2 and not only with a profound knowledge of his subjects1 but with a deep sympathy1 which peeps forth at every line1 for the literary men whose troubles or peculiarities he describes4 ,his must be a fine nature--a contemplative mind imbued with a true love of literature1 and a kindness of heart that melts and makes those of others melt1 for the evils to which its votaries are exposed4 ,how much are those who like reading1 but are too idle for research1 indebted to ,mr4 ,d',israeli1 who has given them the precious result of a long life of study1 so admirably digested and beautifully conveyed that in a few volumes are condensed a mass of the most valuable information6 ,i never peruse a production of his without longing to be personally acquainted with him2 and1 though we never met1 ,i entertain a regard and respect for him1 induced by the many pleasant hours his works have afforded me4 ,met the ,princesse de ,talleyrand last night at ,madame ,c----'s4 ,i felt curious to see this lady1 of whom ,i had heard such various reports2 and1 as usual1 found her very different to the descriptions ,i had received4 ,she came en princesse1 attended by two dames de compagnie1 and a gentleman who acted as chambellan4 ,though her embonpoint has not only destroyed her shape but has also deteriorated her face1 the small features of which seem imbued in a mask much too fleshy for their proportions1 it is easy to see that in her youth she must have been handsome4 ,her complexion is fair2 her hair1 judging from the eye-brows and eye-lashes1 must have been very light2 her eyes are blue2 her nose1 retrouss2 her mouth small1 with full lips2 and the expression of her countenance is agreeable1 though not intellectual4 ,in her demeanour there is an evident assumption of dignity1 which1 falling short of the aim1 gives an ungraceful stiffness to her appearance4 ,her dress was rich but suited to her age1 which ,i should pronounce to be about sixty4 ,her manner has the formality peculiar to those conscious of occupying a higher station than their birth or education entitles them to hold2 and this consciousness gives an air of constraint and reserve that curiously contrasts with the natural good-humour and navet that are frequently perceptible in her4 ,if ignorant--as is asserted--there is no symptom of it in her language4 ,to be sure1 she says little2 but that little is expressed with propriety3 and if reserved1 she is scrupulously polite4 ,her dames de compagnie and chambellan treat her with profound respect1 and she acknowledges their attentions with civility4 ,to sum up all1 the impression made upon me by the ,princesse ,talleyrand was1 that she differed in no way from any other princess ,i had ever met1 except by a greater degree of reserve and formality than were in general evinced by them4 ,i could not help smiling inwardly when looking at her1 as ,i remembered ,baron ,denon's amusing story of the mistake she once made4 ,when the ,baron's work on ,egypt was the topic of general conversation1 and the htel of the ,prince ,talleyrand was the rendezvous of the most distinguished persons of both sexes at ,paris1 ,denon being engaged to dine there one day1 the ,prince wished the ,princesse to read a few pages of the book1 in order that she might be enabled to say something complimentary on it to the author4 ,he consequently ordered his librarian to send the work to her apartment on the morning of the day of the dinner2 but1 unfortunately1 at the same time also commanded that a copy of ,robinson ,crusoe should be sent to a young lady1 a protge of hers1 who resided in the htel4 ,the ,baron ,denon's work1 through mistake1 was given to ,mademoiselle1 and ,robinson ,crusoe was delivered to the ,princesse1 who rapidly looked through its pages4 ,the seat of honour at table being assigned to the ,baron1 the ,princesse1 mindful of her husband's wishes1 had no sooner eaten her soup than1 smiling graciously1 she thanked ,denon for the pleasure which the perusal of his work had afforded her4 ,the author was pleased1 and told her how much he felt honoured2 but judge of his astonishment1 and the dismay of the ,prince ,talleyrand1 when the ,princesse exclaimed4 ,yes1 ,monsieur le ,baron1 your work has delighted me2 but ,i am longing to know what has become of your poor man ,friday1 about whom ,i feel such an interest8 ,denon used to recount this anecdote with great spirit1 confessing at the same time that his amour propre as an author had been for a moment flattered by the commendation1 even of a person universally known to be incompetent to pronounce on the merit of his book4 ,the ,emperor ,napoleon heard this story1 and made ,baron ,denon repeat it to him1 laughing immoderately all the time1 and frequently after he would1 when he saw ,denon1 inquire how was poor ,friday8 ,when the second restoration of the ,bourbons took place1 the ,prince ,talleyrand1 anxious to separate from the ,princesse1 and to get her out of his house1 induced her1 under the pretence that a change of air was absolutely necessary for her health1 to go to ,england for some months4 ,she had only been there a few weeks when a confidential friend at ,paris wrote to inform her that from certain rumours afloat it was quite clear the ,prince did not intend her to take up her abode again in his house1 and advised her to return without delay4 ,the ,princesse instantly adopted this counsel1 and arrived most unexpectedly in the ,rue ,st4-,florentin1 to the alarm and astonishment of the whole establishment there1 who had been taught not to look for her entering the htel any more2 and to the utter dismay of the ,prince1 who1 however anxious to be separated from her1 dreaded a scene of violence still more than he wished to be released from his conjugal chains4 ,she forced her admission to his presence1 overwhelmed him with reproaches1 and it required the exercise of all his diplomatic skill to allay the storm he had raised4 ,the affair became the general topic of conversation at ,paris2 and when1 the day after the event1 the ,prince waited on ,louis the ,eighteenth on affairs of state1 the ,king1 who loved a joke1 congratulated him on the unexpected arrival of ,madame la ,princesse4 ,prince ,talleyrand felt the sarcasm1 and noticed it by one of those smiles so peculiar to him--a shake of the head and shrug of the shoulders1 while he uttered ,que voulez-vous1 ,sire1 chacun a son vingt ,mars8 referring to the unexpected arrival of the ,emperor ,napoleon4 ,i have been reading ,yes and ,no1 a very clever and1 interesting novel from the pen of ,lord ,normanby4 ,his writings evince great knowledge of the world1 the work-o'-day world1 as well as the beau monde2 yet there is no bitterness in his satire1 which is always just and happily pointed4 ,his style1 too1 is easy1 fluent1 and polished1 without being disfigured by the slightest affectation or pedantry4 ,had a long visit to-day from ,dr4 ,p----1 who has lent me the works of ,bichat and ,broussais1 which he recommends me to read4 ,he is a most agreeable companion1 and as vivacious as if he was only twenty4 ,he reminds me sometimes of my old friend ,lady ,dysart1 whose juvenility of mind and manner always pleased as much as it surprised me4 ,old people like these appear to forget1 as they are forgotten by1 time2 and1 like trees marked to be cut down1 but which escape the memory of the marker1 they continue to flourish though the lines traced for their destruction are visible4 ,the more ,i see of ,count ,waleski the more ,i am pleased with him4 ,he has an acute mind1 great quickness of perception1 and exceedingly good manners4 ,i always consider it a good sign of a young man to be partial to the society of the old1 and ,i observe that ,count ,waleski evinces a preference for that of men old enough to be his father4 ,people are not generally aware of the advantages which agreeable manners confer1 and the influence they exercise over society4 ,i have seen great abilities fail in producing the effect accomplished by prepossessing manners1 which are even more serviceable to their owner than is a fine countenance1 that best of all letters of recommendation4 ,half the unpopularity of people proceeds from a disagreeable manner2 and though we may be aware of the good qualities of persons who have this defect1 we cannot conceal from ourselves that it must always originate in a want of the desire to please--a want1 the evidence of which cannot fail to wound the self-love of those who detect1 and indispose them towards those who betray it4 ,by a disagreeable manner ,i do not mean the awkwardness often arising from timidity1 or the too great familiarity originating in untutored good nature3 but ,i refer to a superciliousness1 or coldness1 that marks a sense of superiority2 or to a habit of contradiction1 that renders society what it should never be--an arena of debate4 ,how injudicious are those who defend their absent friends1 when accused of having disagreeable manners1 by saying1 as ,i have often heard persons say--,i assure you that he or she can be very agreeable with those he or she likes3 an assertion which1 by implying that the person accused did not like those who complained of the bad manner1 converts them from simple disapprovers into something approaching to enemies4 ,i had once occasion to notice the fine tact of a friend of mine1 who1 hearing a person he greatly esteemed censured for his disagreeable manner1 answered1 ,yes1 it is very true3 with a thousand good qualities his manner is very objectionable1 even with those he likes best3 it is his misfortune1 and he cannot help it2 but those who know him well will pardon it4 ,this candid admission of what could not be refuted1 checked all further censure at the moment1 whereas an injudicious defence would have lengthened it2 and ,i heard some of the individuals then present assert1 a few days subsequently1 that ,lord ---- was not1 after all1 by any means to be disliked3 for that his manners were equally objectionable even with his most esteemed friends1 and consequently meant nothing uncivil to strangers4 ,i tried this soothing system the other day in defence of ----1 when a whole circle were attacking him for his rude habit of contradicting1 by asserting1 with a grave face1 that he only contradicted those whose talents he suspected1 in order that he might draw them out in discussion4 ---- came in soon after1 and it was positively amusing to observe how much better people bore his contradiction4 ,madame ---- only smiled when1 having asserted that it was a remarkably fine day1 he declared it to be abominable4 ,the ,duc de ---- looked gracious when1 having repeated some political news1 ---- said he could prove the contrary to be the fact2 and the ,comtesse de ---- looked archly round when1 having extravagantly praised a new novel1 he pronounced that it was the worst of all the bad ones of the author4 ---- will become a popular man1 and have to thank me for it4 ,how angry would he be if he knew the service ,i have rendered him1 and how quickly would he contradict all ,i said in his favour6 ---- reminds me of the ,englishman of whom it was said1 that so great was his love of contradiction1 that when the hour of the night and state of the weather were announced by the watchman beneath his window1 he used to get out of bed and raise both his casement and his voice to protest against the accuracy of the statement4 ,read ,pelham2 commenced it yesterday1 and concluded it to-day4 ,it is a new style of novel1 and1 like all that is very clever1 will lead to many copyists4 ,the writer possesses a felicitous fluency of language1 profound and just thoughts1 and a knowledge of the world rarely acquired at his age1 for ,i am told he is a very young man4 ,this work combines pointed and pungent satire on the follies of society1 a deep vein of elevated sentiment1 and a train of philosophical thinking1 seldom1 if ever1 allied to the tenderness which pierces through the sentimental part4 ,the opening reminded me of that of ,anastatius1 without being in the slightest degree an imitation2 and many of the passages recalled ,voltaire1 by their wit and terseness4 ,i1 who don't like reading novels1 heard so much in favour of this one--for all ,paris talk of it--that ,i broke through a resolution formed since ,i read the dull book of ----1 to read no more2 and ,i am glad ,i did so1 for this clever book has greatly interested me4 ,oh1 the misery of having stupid books presented to one by the author6 ----1 who is experienced in such matters1 told me that the best plan in such cases was1 to acknowledge the receipt of the book the same day it arrived1 and civilly express the pleasure anticipated from its perusal1 by which means the necessity of praising a bad book was avoided4 ,this system has1 however1 been so generally adopted of late1 that authors are dissatisfied with it2 and1 consequently1 a good-natured person often feels compelled to write commendations of books which he or she is far from approving2 and which1 though it costs an effort to write1 are far from satisfying the exigeant amour propre peculiar to authors4 ,i remember once being present when the merits of a book were canvassed4 ,one person declared it to be insufferably dull1 when another1 who had published some novel1 observed1 with rather a supercilious air1 ,you know not how difficult it is to write a good book6 ,i suppose it must be very difficult1 was the answer1 seeing how long and how often you have attempted1 without succeeding4 ,how these letters of commendations of bad books1 extorted from those to whom the authors present them1 will rise up in judgment against the writers1 when they are gone to that bourne whence no traveller returns6 ,i tremble to think of it6 ,what severe animadversions on the bad taste1 or the want of candour of the writers1 and all because they were too good-natured to give pain to the authors6 ,went to the ,thtre ,italien last night1 and saw ,malibran in la ,cenerentola1 in which her acting was no less admirable than her singing4 ,she sang ,non pi ,mesta better than ,i ever heard it before1 and astonished as well as delighted the audience4 ,she has a soul and spirit in her style that carries away her hearers1 as no other singer does1 and excites an enthusiasm seldom1 if ever1 equalled4 ,malibran seems to be as little mistress of her own emotions when singing1 as those are whom her thrilling voice melts into softness1 or wakes into passion4 ,every tone is pregnant with feeling1 and every glance and attitude instinct with truthful emotion4 ,a custom prevails in ,france1 which is not practised in ,italy1 or in ,england1 namely1 les lettres de faire part1 sent to announce deaths1 marriages1 and births1 to the circle of acquaintances of the parties4 ,this formality is never omitted1 and these printed letters are sent out to all on the visiting lists1 except relations1 or very intimate friends1 to whom autograph letters are addressed4 ,another custom also prevails1 which is that of sending bonbons to the friends and acquaintance of the accouche4 ,these sweet proofs d'amiti come pouring in frequently1 and ,i confess ,i do not dislike the usage4 ,the godfather always sends the bonbons and a trinket to the mother of the child1 and also presents the godmother with a corbeille1 in which are some dozens of gloves1 two or three handsome fans1 embroidered purses1 a smelling-bottle1 and a vinaigrette2 and she offers him1 en revanche1 a cane1 buttons1 or a pin--in short1 some present4 ,the corbeilles given to godmothers are often very expensive1 being suited to the rank of the parties2 so that in ,paris the compliment of being selected as a godfather entails no trifling expense on the chosen4 ,the great prices given for wedding trousseaux in ,france1 even by those who are not rich1 surprise me1 ,i confess4 ,they contain a superabundance of every article supposed to be necessary for the toilette of a nouvelle marie1 from the rich robes of velvet down to the simple peignoir de matin4 ,dresses of every description and material1 and for all seasons1 are found in it4 ,cloaks1 furs1 ,cashmere shawls1 and all that is required for night or day use1 are liberally supplied2 indeed1 so much so1 that to see one of these trousseaux1 one might imagine the person for whom it was intended was going to pass her life in some far-distant clime1 where there would be no hope of finding similar articles1 if ever wanted4 ,then comes the corbeille de mariage1 well stored with the finest laces1 the most delicately embroidered pocket handkerchiefs1 veils1 fichus1 chemisettes and canezous1 trinkets1 smelling-bottles1 fans1 vinaigrettes1 gloves1 garters2 and though last1 not least1 a purse well filled to meet the wants or wishes of the bride1--a judicious attention never omitted4 ,these trousseaux and corbeilles are placed in a salon1 and are exhibited to the friends the two or three days previously to the wedding2 and the view of them often sends young maidens--ay1 and elderly ones1 too--away with an anxious desire to enter that holy state which ensures so many treasures4 ,it is not fair to hold out such temptations to the unmarried1 and may be the cause why they are generally so desirous to quit the pale of single blessedness4 ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,count ,charles de ,mornay dined here yesterday1 en famille4 ,how clever and amusing he is6 ,even in his liveliest sallies there is the evidence of a mind that can reflect deeply1 as well as clothe its thoughts in the happiest language4 ,to be witty1 yet thoroughly good-natured as he is1 never exercising his wit at the expense of others1 indicates no less kindness of heart than talent4 ,i know few things more agreeable than to hear him and his cousin open the armoury of their wit1 which1 like summer lightning1 flashes rapidly and brightly1 but never wounds4 ,in ,england1 we are apt to consider wit and satire as nearly synonymous2 for we hear of the clever sayings of our reputed wits1 in nine cases out of ten1 allied to some ill-natured bon mot1 or pointed epigram4 ,in ,france this is not the case1 for some of the most witty men1 and women too1 whom ,i ever knew1 are as remarkable for their good nature as for their cleverness4 ,that wit which needs not the spur of malice is certainly the best1 and is most frequently met with at ,paris4 ,went last evening to see ,mademoiselle ,marsin ,henri ,,iii4 ,her acting was1 as usual1 inimitable4 ,i was disappointed in the piece1 of which ,i had heard much praise4 ,it is what the ,french call dcousue1 but is interesting as a picture of the manners of the times which it represents4 ,there is no want of action or bustle in it2 on the contrary1 it abounds in incidents3 but they are1 for the most part1 puerile4 ,as in our own ,othello1 a pocket handkerchief leads to the dnouement1 reminding one of the truth of the verse1-- ,what great events from trivial causes spring6 ,the whole court of ,henry the ,third are brought on the scene1 and with an attention to costume to be found only in a ,parisian theatre4 ,the strict attention to costume1 and to all the other accessories appertaining to the epoch1 mise en scne1 is very advantageous to the pieces brought out here2 but1 even should they fail to give or preserve an illusion1 it is always highly interesting as offering a tableau du costume1 et des moeurs des sicles passs4 ,the crowd brought on the stage in ,henri ,,iii1 though it adds to the splendour of the scenic effect1 produces a confusion in the plot2 as does also the vast number of names and titles introduced during the scenes1 which fatigue the attention and defy the memory of the spectators4 ,the fierce ,duc de ,guise1 the slave at once of two passions1 generally considered to be the most incompatible1 ,love and ,ambition1 is made to commit strange inconsistencies4 ,sant-,mgrin excites less interest than he ought2 but the ,duchesse de ,guise1 whose beautiful arm plays a grand rle1 must1 as played by ,mademoiselle ,mars1 have conquered all hearts vi et armis4 ,henri ,,iii has the most brilliant success1 and1 in despite of some faults1 is full of genius1 and the language is vigorous4 ,perhaps its very faults are to be attributed to an excess1 rather than to a want1 of power1 and to a mind overflowing with a knowledge of the times he wished to represent2 which led to a dilution of the strength of his scenes1 by crowding into them too much extraneous matter4 ,a curious incident occurred during the representation4 ,two ladies--gentlewomen they could not be correctly styled--being seated in the balcon1 were brought in closer contact1 whether by the crowd1 or otherwise1 than was agreeable to them4 ,from remonstrances they proceeded to murmurs1 not only loud1 but deep1 and from murmurs--tell it not in ,ascalon1 publish it not in ,gath--to violent pushing1 and1 at length1 to blows4 ,the audience were1 as well they might be1 shocked2 the ,gendarmes interfered1 and order was soon restored4 ,the extreme propriety of conduct that invariably prevails in a ,parisian audience1 and more especially in the female portion of it1 renders the circumstance ,i have narrated remarkable4 ,met ,lady ,g41 ,lady ,h41 and the usual circle of habitus last night at ,madame ,c----'s4 ,the first-mentioned lady surprises me every time ,i meet her1 by the exaggeration of her sentiment and the romantic notions she entertains4 ,love1 eternal love1 is her favourite topic of conversation2 a topic unsuited to discussion at her age and in her position4 ,to hear a woman1 no longer young1 talking passionately of love1 has something so absurd in it1 that ,i am pained for ,lady ,c41 who is really a kind-hearted and amiable woman4 ,her definitions of the passion1 and descriptions of its effects1 remind me of the themes furnished by ,scudry1 and are as tiresome as the tales of a traveller recounted some fifty years after he has made his voyage4 ,lady ,h41 who is older than ,lady ,g41 opens wide her round eyes1 laughs1 and exclaims1 ,oh1 dear6--how very strange6--well1 that is so funny6 until ,lady ,c4 draws up with all the dignity of a heroine of romance1 and asserts that few1 very few1 are capable of either feeling or comprehending the passion4 ,a fortunate state for those who are no longer able to inspire it6 ,to grow old gracefully1 proves no ordinary powers of mind1 more especially in one who has been 7oh1 what an odious phrase that same has been is67 a beauty4 ,well has it been observed by a ,french writer1 that women no longer young and handsome should forget that they ever were so4 ,i have been reading ,wordsworth's poems again1 and ,i verily believe for the fiftieth time4 ,they contain a mine of lofty1 beautiful1 and natural thoughts4 ,i never peruse them without feeling proud that ,england has such a poet1 and without finding a love for the pure and the noble increased in my mind4 ,talk of the ideal in poetry8 what is it in comparison with the positive and the natural1 of which he gives such exquisite delineations1 lifting his readers from ,nature up to ,nature's ,god8 ,how eloquently does he portray the feelings awakened by fine scenery1 and the thoughts to which it gives birth6 ,wordsworth is1 par excellence1 the ,poet of ,religion1 for his productions fill the mind with pure and holy aspirations4 ,fortunate is the poet who has quaffed inspiration in the purest of all its sources1 ,nature2 and fortunate is the land that claims him for her own4 ,the influence exercised by courts over the habits of subjects1 though carried to a less extent in our days than in past times1 is still obvious at ,paris in the display of religion assumed by the upper class4 ,coroneted carriages are to be seen every day at the doors of certain churches1 which it is not very uncharitable to suppose might be less frequently beheld there if the ,king1 ,madame la ,dauphine1 and the ,dauphin were less religious2 and hands that have wielded a sword in many a well-fought battle-field1 and hold the bton de marchal as a reward1 may now be seen bearing a lighted cierge in some pious procession1--the military air of the intrepid warrior lost in the humility of the devotee4 ,this general assumption of religion on the part of the courtiers reminds me forcibly of a passage in a poetical epistle1 written1 too1 by a sovereign1 who1 unlike many monarchs1 seemed to have had a due appreciation of the proneness of subjects to adopt the opinions of their rulers4 ,l'exemple d'un monarque ordonne et se fait suivre3 ,quand ,auguste buvait1 la ,pologne tait ivre2 ,et quand ,louis le ,grand brlait d'un tendre amour1 ,paris devint ,cythre1 et tout suivait sa cour2 ,lorsqu'il devint dvot1 ardent la prire1 ,ses lches courtisans marmottaient leur brviaire4 ,should the ,duc de ,bordeaux arrive at the throne while yet in the hey-day of youth1 and with the gaiety that generally accompanies that period of life1 it will be amusing to witness the metamorphosis that will be effected in these same courtiers4 ,there are doubtless many1 and ,i am acquainted with some persons here1 whose religion is as sincere and as fervent as is that of the royal personages of the court they frequent2 but ,i confess that ,i doubt whether the general mass of the upper class would afficher their piety as much as they now do if their regular attendance at divine worship was less likely to be known at the ,tuileries4 ,the influence of a pious sovereign over the religious feelings of his people must be highly beneficial when they feel1 instead of affecting to do so1 the sanctity they profess4 ,when those in the possession of supreme power1 and all the advantages it is supposed to confer1 turn from the enjoyment of them to seek support from ,heaven to meet the doom allotted to kings as well as subjects1 the example is most salutary2 for the piety of the rich and great is even more edifying than that of the poor and lowly1 who are supposed to seek consolation which the prosperous are imagined not to require4 ,the ,duchesse de ,berri is very popular at ,paris1 and deservedly so4 ,her natural gaiety harmonises ,with that of this lively people2 and her love of the fine arts1 and the liberal patronage she extends to them1 gratify the ,parisians4 ,i heard an anecdote of her to-day from an authority which leaves no doubt of its truth4 ,having commanded a brilliant fte1 a heavy fall of snow drew from one of her courtiers a remark that the extreme cold would impede the pleasure of the guests1 who would suffer from it in coming and departing1 ,true1 replied the ,duchesse2 but if they in comfortable carriages1 and enveloped in furs and cashmeres1 can suffer from the severity of the weather1 what must the poor endure8 ,and she instantly ordered a large sum of money to be forthwith distributed1 to supply fuel to the indigent1 saying--,while ,i dance1 ,i shall have the pleasure of thinking the poor are not without the means of warmth4 ,received a long and delightful letter from ,walter ,savage ,landor4 ,his is one of the most original minds ,i have ever encountered1 and is joined to one of the finest natures4 ,living in the delightful solitude he has chosen near ,florence1 his time is passed in reading1 reflecting1 and writing2 a life so blameless and so happy1 that the philosophers of old1 with whose thoughts his mind is so richly imbued1 might1 if envy could enter into such hearts1 entertain it towards him4 ,landor is a happy example of the effect of retirement on a great mind4 ,free from the interruptions which1 if they harass not1 at least impede the continuous flow of thought in those who live much in society1 his mind has developed itself boldly1 and acquired a vigour at which1 perhaps1 it might never have arrived1 had he been compelled to live in a crowded city1 chafed by the contact with minds of an inferior calibre4 ,the ,imaginary ,conversations could never have been written amid the vexatious interruptions incidental to one mingling much in the scenes of busy life2 for the voices of the sages of old with whom1 beneath his own vines1 ,landor loves to commune1 would have been inaudible in the turmoil of a populous town1 and their secrets would not have been revealed to him4 ,the friction of society may animate the man of talent into its exercise1 but ,i am persuaded that solitude is essential to the perfect developement of genius4 ,a letter from ,sir ,william ,gell1 and1 like all his letters1 very amusing4 ,yet how different from ,landor's6 ,both written beneath the sunny sky of ,italy1 both scholars1 and nearly of the same age1 nevertheless1 how widely different are their letters6 ,gell's filled with lively and comic details of persons1 seldom fail to make me laugh2 ,landor's1 wholly devoted to literary subjects1 set me thinking4 ,cell would die of ennui in the solitude ,landor has selected2 ,landor would be chafed into irritation in the constant routine of visiting and dining-out in which ,gell finds amusement4 ,but here am ,i attempting to draw a parallel where none can be established1 for ,landor is a man of genius1 ,gell a man of talent4 ,was at the ,opera last night1 and saw the ,duc d',orlans there with his family4 ,they are a fine-looking flock1 male and female1 and looked as happy as they are said to be4 ,i know no position more enviable than that of the ,duc d',orlans4 ,blessed with health1 a princely revenue1 an admirable wife1 fine children1 and many friends1 he can have nothing to desire but a continuance of these blessings4 ,having experienced adversity1 and nobly endured the ordeal1 he must feel with an increased zest the happiness now accorded to him1--a happiness that seems so full and complete1 that ,i can fancy no addition possible to it4 ,his vast wealth may enable him to exercise a generosity that even sovereigns can rarely practise2 his exalted rank1 while it places him near a throne1 precludes him from the eating cares that never fail to attend even the most solidly established one1 and leaves him free to enjoy the happiness of domestic life in a family circle said to contain every ingredient for creating it4 ,the fondest husband1 father1 and brother1 he is fortunate beyond most men in his domestic relations1 and furnishes to ,france a bright example of irreproachable conduct and well-merited felicity in them all4 ,in the possession of so many blessings1 ,i should1 were ,i in his position 7and he probably does1 or he is not the sensible man ,i take him to be71 tremble at the possibility of any event that could call him from the calm enjoyment of them to the giddy height and uneasy seat of a throne4 ,the present king is in the vale of years1 the ,dauphin not young1 and the ,duc de ,bordeaux is but a child4 ,should any thing occur to this child1 then would the ,duc d',orlans stand in direct line after the ,dauphin4 ,i thought of this contingency last night as ,i looked on the happy family1 and felt assured that were the ,duc d',orlans called to reign in ,france1 these same faces would look less cloudless than they did then1 for ,i am one of those who believe that uneasy lies the head that wears a crown4 ,with a good sense that characterises the ,duc d',orlans1 he has sent his sons to public schools--a measure well calculated not only to give them a just knowledge of the world1 so often denied to princes1 but to render them popular4 ,the ,duc de ,chartres is an exceedingly handsome young man1 and his brothers are fine youths4 ,the ,princesses are brought up immediately under the eye of their mother1 who is allowed by every one to be a faultless model for her sex4 ,the ,duc d',orlans is said to be wholly engrossed in the future prospects of his children1 and in insuring1 as far as human foresight can insure1 their prosperity4 ,i have been reading ,shelley's works1 in which ,i have found many beautiful thoughts4 ,this man of genius--for decidedly such he was--has not yet been rendered justice to2 the errors that shroud his poetry1 as vapours rising from too rich a soil spread a mist that obstructs our view of the flowers that also spring from the same bed1 have hindered us from appreciating the many beauties that abound in ,shelley's writings4 ,alarmed by the poison that lurks in some of his wild speculations1 we have slighted the antidote to be found in many others of them1 and heaped obloquy on the fame of a poet whose genius and kindness of heart should have insured our pity for the errors of his creed4 ,he who was all charity has found none in the judgment pronounced on him by his contemporaries2 but posterity will be more just4 ,the wild theories and fanciful opinions of ,shelley1 on subjects too sacred to be approached lightly1 carry with them their own condemnation2 and so preclude the evil which pernicious doctrines1 more logically reasoned1 might produce on weak minds4 ,his theories are vague1 dreamy1 always erroneous1 and often absurd3 but the imagination of the poet1 and the tenderness of heart of the man1 plead for pardon for the false doctrines of the would-be philosopher2 and those who most admire his poetry will be the least disposed to tolerate his anti-religious principles4 ,as a proof that his life was far from being in accordance with his false creed1 he enjoyed1 up to his death1 the friendship of some of the most excellent men1 who deplored his errors but who loved and valued him4 ,william ,spencer1 the poet1 dined here yesterday4 ,alas6 he has fallen into the sere and yellow leaf1 for though sometimes uttering brilliant thoughts1 they are like angel visits1 few and far between2 and total silence1 or half-incoherent rhapsodies1 mark the intervals4 ,this melancholy change is accounted for by the effects of an indulgence in wine1 had recourse to in consequence of depression of spirits4 ,nor is this pernicious indulgence confined to the evening1 for at a djener la fourchette at two o'clock1 enough wine is drunk to dull his faculties for the rest of the day4 ,what an unpoetical close to a life once so brilliant6 ,alas1 alas1 for poor human nature6 when1 even though illumined by the ethereal spark1 it can thus sully its higher destiny4 ,i thought of the many fanciful and graceful poems so often perused with pleasure1 written by ,mr4 ,spencer amid the brilliant ftes in which he formerly passed his nights1 and where he often found his inspirations4 ,his was ever a courtly ,muse1 but without the hoop and train--a ball-room belle1 with alternate smiles and sentimentality1 and witty withal4 ,no out-bursting of passion1 or touch of deep pathos1 interrupted the equanimity of feeling of those who perused ,spencer's verses2 yet was their absence unmissed1 for the fancy1 wit1 and sentiment that marked them all1 and the graceful ease of the versification1 rendered them precisely what they were intended for1--les vers de socit1 the fitting volume elegantly bound to be placed in the boudoir4 ,and there sat the pet poet of gilded salons1 whose sparkling sallies could once delight the fastidious circles in which he moved4 ,his once bright eyes1 glazed and lustreless1 his cheeks sunken and pale1 seeming only conscious of the presence of those around him when offered champagne1 the excitement of which for a few brief moments produced some flashing bon mot propos de rien passing at the time1 after which his spirits subsided even more rapidly than did the bubbles of the wine that had given them their short excitement4 ,it made me sad to contemplate this wreck2 but most of those around him appeared unconscious of there being any thing remarkable in his demeanour4 ,they had not known him in his better days4 ,i am often amused1 and sometimes half-vexed by witnessing the prejudices that still exist in ,france with regard to the ,english4 ,these prejudices prevail in all ranks1 and are1 ,i am disposed to think1 incurable4 ,they extend to trivial1 as well as to more grave matters1 and influence the opinions pronounced on all subjects4 ,an example of this prejudice occurred a few weeks ago1 when one of our most admired belles from ,london having arrived at ,paris1 her personal appearance was much canvassed4 ,one person found her too tall1 another discovered that she had too much embonpoint1 and a third said her feet were much too large4 ,a ,frenchman1 when appealed to for his opinion1 declared ,elle est trs-bien pour une ,anglaise4 ,i ought to add1 that there was no ,english person present when he made this ungallant speech1 which was repeated to me by a ,french lady1 who laughed heartily at his notion4 ,if an ,englishwoman enters a glover's1 or shoemaker's shop1 these worthies will only shew her the largest gloves or shoes they have in their magasins1 so persuaded are they that she cannot have a small hand or foot2 and when they find their wares too large1 and are compelled to search for the smallest size1 they seem discomposed as well as surprised1 and inform the lady that they had no notion une dame anglaise could want small gloves or shoes4 ,that an ,englishwoman can be witty1 or brilliant in conversation1 the ,french either doubt or profess to doubt2 but if convinced against their will they exclaim1 ,c'est drle1 mais madame a l'esprit minemment franais4 ,now this no ,englishwoman has1 or1 in my opinion1 can have2 for it is peculiar1 half-natural and half-acquired4 ,conversation1 in ,france1 is an art successfully studied2 to excel in which1 not only much natural talent is required1 but great fluency and a happy choice of words are indispensable4 ,no one in ,parisian society speaks ill1 and many possess a readiness of wit1 and a facility of turning it to account1 that ,i have never seen exemplified in women of other countries4 ,a ,frenchwoman talks well on every subject1 from those of the most grave political importance1 to the dernire mode4 ,her talent in this art is daily exercised1 and consequently becomes perfected2 while an ,englishwoman1 with more various and solid attainments1 rarely if ever1 arrives at the ease and self-confidence which would enable her to bring the treasures with which her mind is stored into play4 ,so generally is the art of conversation cultivated in ,france1 that even those with abilities that rise not beyond mediocrity can take their parts in it1 not only without exposing the poverty of their intellects1 but with even a show of talent that often imposes on strangers4 ,an ,englishwoman1 more concentrated in her feelings as well as in her pursuits1 seldom devotes the time given by ,frenchwomen to the superficial acquisition of a versatility of knowledge1 which1 though it enables them to converse fluently on various subjects1 she would dread entering on1 unless well versed in4 ,my fair compatriots have consequently fewer topics1 even if they had equal talent1 to converse on2 so that the esprit styled1 par excellence1 l'esprit minemment franais1 is precisely that to which we can urge the fewest pretensions4 ,this does not1 however1 dispose me to depreciate a talent1 or art1 for art it may be called1 that renders society in ,france not only so brilliant but so agreeable1 and which is attended with the salutary effect of banishing the ill-natured observations and personal remarks which too often supply the place of more harmless topics with us4 ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,much as ,i deplore some of the consequences of the ,revolution in ,france1 and the atrocities by which it was stained1 it is impossible not to admit the great and salutary change effected in the habits and feelings of the people since that event4 ,who can live on terms of intimacy with the ,french1 without being struck by the difference between those of our time1 and those of whom we read previously to that epoch8 ,the system of education is totally different4 ,the habits of domestic life are wholly changed4 ,the relations between husband and wife1 and parents and children1 have assumed another character1 by which the bonds of affection and mutual dependances are drawn more closely together2 and home1 sweet home1 the focus of domestic love1 said to have been once an unknown blessing1 at least among the haute noblesse1 is now endeared by the discharge of reciprocal duties and warm sympathies4 ,it is impossible to doubt but that the ,revolution of #aghi1 and the terrible scenes in the reign of terror which followed it1 operated in producing the change to which ,i have referred4 ,it found the greater portion of the noblesse luxuriating in pleasure1 and thinking only of selfish1 if not of criminal indulgence1 in pursuits equally marked by puerility and vice4 ,the corruption of the regency planted the seeds of vice in ,french morals1 and they yielded a plentiful harvest4 ,how well has ,st4-vremond described that epoch in his playful1 but sarcastic verses6-- ,une politique indulgente1 ,de notre nature innocente1 ,favorisait tous les dsirs2 ,tout got paraissait lgitime1 ,la douce erreur ne s'appelait point crime1 ,les vices dlicats se nommalent des plaisirs4 ,but it was reserved for the reign of ,louis the ,fifteenth to develope still more extensively the corruption planted by his predecessor4 ,the influence exercised on society by the baleful example of his court had not yet ceased1 and time had not been allowed for the reign of the mild monarch who succeeded that gross voluptuary to work the reform in manners1 if not in morals1 which his own personal habits were so well calculated to produce4 ,it required the terrible lesson given by the ,revolution to awaken the natural feelings of affection that had so long slumbered supinely in the enervated hearts of the higher classes in ,france1 corrupted by long habits of indulgence in selfish gratifications4 ,the lesson at once awoke even the most callous2 while those1 and there were many such1 who required it not1 furnished the noblest examples of high courage and self-devotion to the objects dear to them4 ,in exile and in poverty1 when all extraneous sources of consolation were denied them1 those who if still plunged in pleasure and splendour might have remained insensible to the blessings of family ties1 now turned to them with the yearning fondness with which a last comfort is clasped1 and became sensible how little they had hitherto estimated them4 ,once awakened from their too long and torpid slumber1 the hearts purified by affliction learned to appreciate the blessings still left them1 and from the fearful epoch of the ,revolution a gradual change may be traced in the habits and feelings of the ,french people4 ,terrible has been the expiation of their former errors1 but admirable has been the result2 for nowhere can be now found more devoted parents1 more dutiful children1 or more attached relatives1 than among the ,french noblesse4 ,if the lesson afforded by the ,revolution to the upper class has been attended with a salutary effect1 it has been scarcely less advantageous to the middle and lower2 for it has taught them the dangers to be apprehended from the state of anarchy that ever follows on the heels of popular convulsions1 exposing even those who participated in them to infinitely worse evils than those from which they hoped to escape by a subversion of the legitimate government4 ,these reflections have been suggested by a description given to me1 by one who mixed much in ,parisian society previously to the ,revolution1 of the habits1 modes1 and usages of the haute noblesse of that period1 and who is deeply sensible of the present regeneration4 ,this person1 than whom a more impartial recorder of the events of that epoch cannot be found1 assured me that the accounts given in the memoirs and publications of the state of society at that epoch were by no means exaggerated1 and that the domestic habits and affections at present so universally cultivated in ,france were1 if not unknown1 at least neglected4 ,married people looked not to each other for happiness1 and sought the aggrandizement1 and not the felicity1 of their children4 ,the acquisition of wealth and splendour and the enjoyment of pleasure occupied their thoughts1 and those parents who secured these advantages for their offspring1 however they might have neglected to instil sentiments of morality and religion into their minds1 believed that they had fully discharged their duty towards them4 ,it was the want of natural affection between parents and children that led to the cynical observation uttered by a ,french philosopher of that day1 who explained the partiality of grandfathers and grandmothers towards their grandchildren1 by saying these last were the enemies of their enemies1--a reflection founded on the grossest selfishness4 ,the habit of judging persons and things superficially1 is one of the defects that most frequently strike me in the ,parisians4 ,this defect arises not from a want of quickness of apprehension1 but has its source in the vivacity peculiar to them1 which precludes their bestowing sufficient time to form an accurate opinion on what they pronounce4 ,prone to judge from the exterior1 rather than to study the interior qualifications of those with whom they come in contact1 the person who is perfectly well-dressed and well-mannered will be better received than he who1 however highly recommended for mental superiority or fine qualities1 happens to be ill-dressed1 or troubled with mauvaise honte4 ,a woman1 if ever so handsome1 who is not dressed la mode1 will be pronounced plain in a ,parisian salon2 while a really plain woman wearing a robe made by ,victorine and a cap by ,herbault1 will be considered trs-bien1 ou au moins bien gentille4 ,the person who can converse fluently on all the ordinary topics1 though never uttering a single sentiment or opinion worth remembering1 will be more highly thought of than the one who1 with a mind abounding with knowledge1 only speaks to elicit or convey information4 ,talent1 to be appreciated in ,france1 must be--like the wares in its shops--fully displayed2 the ,french give no credit for what is kept in reserve4 ,i have been reading ,devereux1 and like it infinitely1--even more than ,pelham1 which ,i estimated very highly4 ,there is more thought and reflection in it1 and the sentiments bear the stamp of a profound and elevated mind4 ,the novels of this writer produce a totally different effect on me to that exercised by the works of other authors2 they amuse less than they make me think4 ,other novels banish thought1 and interest me only in the fate of the actors2 but these awaken a train of reflection that often withdraws me from the story1 leaving me deeply impressed with the truth1 beauty1 and originality of the thoughts with which every page is pregnant4 ,all in ,paris are talking of the esclandre of the late trial in ,london2 and the comments made on it by the ,french prove how different are the views of morality taken by them and us4 ,conversing with some ladies on this subject last night1 they asserted that the infrequency of elopements in ,france proved the superiority of morals of the ,french1 and that few examples ever occurred of a woman being so lost to virtue as to desert her children and abandon her home4 ,but if she should have rendered herself unworthy of any longer being the companion of her children1 the partner of her home1 asked one of the circle1 would it be more moral to remain under the roof she had dishonoured1 and with the husband she had betrayed1 than to fly1 and so incur the penalty she had drawn on her head8 ,they were of opinion that the elopement was the most criminal part of the affair1 and that ,lady ---- was less culpable than many other ladies1 because she had not fled2 and1 consequently1 that elopements proved a greater demoralisation than the sinful liaisons carried on without them4 ,lady ,c---- endeavoured to prove that the flight frequently originated in a latent sense of honour and shame1 which rendered the presence of the deceived husband and innocent children insufferable to her whose indulgence of a guilty passion had caused her to forfeit her right to the conjugal home2 but they could not comprehend this1 and persisted in thinking the woman who fled with her lover more guilty than her who remained under the roof of the husband she deceived4 ,one thing is quite clear1 which is1 that the woman who feels she dare not meet her wronged husband and children1 if she dishonours them1 will be more deterred from sin by the consciousness of the necessity of flight1 which it imposes1 than will be the one who sees no such necessity1 and who dreads not the penalty she may be tempted to incur4 ,lady ,c---- maintained that elopements are not a fair criterion for judging of the morality of a country2 for that she who sins and flies is less hardened in guilt than she who remains and deceives3 and the example is also less pernicious1 as the one who has forfeited her place in society serves as a beacon to warn others2 while she whose errors are known1 yet still retains hers1 is a dangerous instance of the indulgence afforded to hardened duplicity4 ,it is not the horror of guilt1 but the dread of its exposure1 that operates on the generality of minds2 and this is not always sufficient to deter from sin4 ,les ,dames de ,b---- dined with us yesterday4 ,they are very clever and amusing1 and1 what is better1 are excellent women4 ,their attachment to each other1 and devotion to their nephew1 are edifying2 and he appears worthy of it4 ,left an orphan when yet an infant1 these sisters adopted their nephew1 and for his sake have refused many advantageous offers of marriage1 devoting themselves to forwarding his interests and insuring him their inheritance4 ,they have shared his studies1 taken part in his success1 and entered into his pains and pleasures1 made his friends theirs1 and theirs his2 no wonder1 then1 that he loves them so fondly1 and is never happier than with them1 taking a lively interest in all their pursuits4 ,these good and warm-hearted women are accused of being enthusiasts1 and romantic4 ,people say that at their age it is odd1 if not absurd1 to indulge in such exaggerated notions of attachment2 nay more1 to give such disinterested proofs of it4 ,they may well smile at such remarks1 while conscious that their devotion to their nephew has not only secured his happiness1 but constitutes their own2 and that the warmth of affection for which they are censured1 cheers the winter of their lives and diffuses a comfort over their existence unknown to the selfish mortals who live only for self4 ,they talked to me last night of the happiness they anticipated in seeing their nephew married4 ,he is so good1 so excellent1 that the person he selects cannot fail to love him fondly1 said ,la ,chanoinesse2 and we will love her so dearly for ensuring his happiness1 added the other sister4 ,who could know these two estimable women1 without acknowledging how harsh and unjust are often the sweeping censures pronounced on those who are termed old maids8--a class in whose breasts the affections instinct in woman1 not being exercised by conjugal or maternal ties1 expand into some other channel2 and1 if denied some dear object on which to place them1 expends them on the domestic animals with which1 in default of more rational favourites1 they surround themselves4 ,les ,dames de ,b----1 happier than many of the spinsters of their age1 have an estimable object to bestow their affections on2 but those who are less fortunate should rather excite our pity than ridicule1 for many and severe must have been the trials of that heart which turns at last1 dans le besoin d'aimer1 to the bird1 dog1 or cat1 that renders solitude less lonely4 ,the difference between servitude in ,england and in ,france often strikes me1 and more especially when ,i hear the frequent complaints made by ,english people of the insolence and familiarity of ,french servants4 ,unaccustomed to hear a servant reply to any censure passed on him1 the ,english are apt to consider his doing so as a want of respect or subordination1 though a ,french servant does not even dream that he is guilty of either when1 according to the general habit of his class and country1 he attempts an exculpation not always satisfactory to his employer1 however it may be to himself4 ,a ,french master listens to the explanation patiently1 or at least without any demonstration of anger1 unless he finds it is not based on truth1 when he reprehends the servant in a manner that satisfies the latter that all future attempts to avoid blame by misrepresentation will be unavailing4 ,french servants imagine that they have the right to explain1 and their employers do not deny it2 consequently1 when they change a ,french for an ,english master1 they continue the same tone and manner to which they have been used1 and are not a little surprised to find themselves considered guilty of impertinence4 ,a ,french master and mistress issue their orders to their domestics with much more familiarity than the ,english do2 take a lively interest in their welfare and happiness2 advise them about their private concerns2 inquire into the cause of any depression of spirits1 or symptom of ill health they may observe1 and make themselves acquainted with the circumstances of those in their establishment4 ,this system lessens the distance maintained between masters and servants1 but does not really diminish the respect entertained by the latter towards their employers1 who generally find around them humble friends1 instead of1 as with us1 cold and calculating dependents1 who repay our hauteur by a total indifference to our interests1 and1 while evincing all the external appearance of profound respect1 entertain little of the true feeling of it to their masters4 ,treating our servants as if they were automatons created solely for our use1 and who1 being paid a certain remuneration for their services1 have no claim on us for kindness or sympathy1 is a system very injurious to their morals and our own interests1 and requires an amelioration4 ,but while ,i deprecate the tone of familiarity that so frequently shocks the untravelled ,english in the treatment of ,french employers to their servants1 ,i should like to see more kindness of manner shewn by the ,english to theirs4 ,nowhere are servants so well paid1 clothed1 fed1 and lodged1 as with us1 and nowhere are they said to feel so little attachment to their masters2 which can only be accounted for by the erroneous system to which ,i have referred4 ---- came to see me to-day4 ,he talked politics1 and ,i am afraid went away shocked at perceiving how little interest ,i took in them4 ,i like not political subjects in ,england1 and avoid them whenever ,i can2 but here ,i feel very much about them1 as the ,irishman is said to have felt when told that the house he was living in was on fire1 and he answered ,sure1 what's that to me6--,i am only a lodger6 ---- told me that ,france is in a very dangerous state2 the people discontented1 etc4 etc4 ,so ,i have heard every time ,i have visited ,paris for the last ten years2 and as to the people being discontented1 when were they otherwise ,i should like to know8 ,never1 at least since ,i have been acquainted with them2 and it will require a sovereign such as ,france has not yet known to satisfy a people so versatile and excitable4 ,charles the ,tenth is not popular4 ,his religious turn1 far from conciliating the respect or confidence of his subjects1 tends only to awaken their suspicions of his being influenced by the ,jesuits--a suspicion fraught with evil1 if not danger1 to him4 ,strange to say1 all admit that ,france has not been so prosperous for years as at present4 ,its people are rapidly acquiring a love of commerce1 and the wealth that springs from it1 which induces me to imagine that they would not be disposed to risk the advantages they possess by any measure likely to subvert the present state of things4 ,nevertheless1 more than one alarmist like ---- shake their heads and look solemn1 foretelling that affairs cannot long go on as they are4 ,of one thing ,i am convinced1 and that is1 that no sovereign1 whatever may be his merits1 can long remain popular in ,france2 and that no prosperity1 however brilliant1 can prevent the people from those meutes into which their excitable temperaments1 rather than any real cause for discontent1 hurry them4 ,these meutes1 too1 are less dangerous than we are led to think4 ,they are safety-valves by which the exuberant spirits of the ,french people escape2 and their national vanity1 being satisfied with the display of their force1 soon subside into tranquillity1 if not aroused into protracted violence by unwise demonstrations of coercion4 ,the two eldest sons of the ,duc and ,duchesse de ,guiche have entered the ,college of ,ste4-,barbe4 ,this is a great trial to their mother1 from whom they had never previously been separated a single day4 ,well might she be proud of them1 on hearing the just eulogiums pronounced on the progress in their studies while under the paternal roof2 for never did parents devote themselves more to the improvement of their children than the ,duc and ,duchesse de ,guiche have done1 and never did children offer a fairer prospect of rewarding their parents than do theirs4 ,it would have furnished a fine subject for a painter to see this beautiful woman1 still in the zenith of her youth and charms1 walking between these two noble boys1 whose personal beauty is as remarkable as that of their parents1 as she accompanied them to the college4 ,the group reminded me of ,cornelia and her sons1 for there was the same classic tournure of heads and profiles1 and the same elevated character of spirituelle beauty1 that painters and sculptors always bestow on the young ,roman matron and the ,gracchi4 ,the ,duc seemed impressed with a sentiment almost amounting to solemnity as he conducted his sons to ,ste4-,barbe4 ,he thought1 probably1 of the difference between their boyhood and his own1 passed in a foreign land and in exile2 while they1 brought up in the bosom of a happy home1 have now left it for the first time4 ,well has he taught them to love the land of their birth1 for even now their youthful hearts are filled with patriotic and chivalrous feelings6 ,it would be fortunate1 indeed1 for the ,king of ,france if he had many such men as the ,duc de ,guiche around him--men with enlightened minds1 who have profited by the lessons of adversity1 and kept pace with the rapidly advancing knowledge of the times to which they belong4 ,painful1 indeed1 would be the position of this excellent man should any circumstances occur that would place the royal family in jeopardy1 for he is too sensible not to be aware of the errors that might lead to such a crisis1 and too loyal not to share the perils he could not ward off2 though he will never be among those who would incur them1 for no one is more impressed with the necessity of justice and impartiality than he is4 ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,the approach of spring is already visible here1 and right glad am ,i to welcome its genial influence2 for a ,paris winter possesses in my opinion no superiority over a ,london one1--nay1 though it would be deemed by the ,french little less than a heresy to say so1 is even more damp and disagreeable4 ,the ,seine has her fogs1 as dense1 raw1 and chilling1 as those of old ,father ,thames himself2 and the river approximating closer to the gay resorts of the beau monde1 they are more felt4 ,the want of draining1 and the vapours that stagnate over the turbid waters of the ruisseaux that intersect the streets at ,paris1 add to the humidity of the atmosphere2 while the sewers in ,london convey away unseen and unfelt1 if not always unsmelt1 the rain which purifies1 while it deluges1 our streets4 ,heaven defend me1 however1 from uttering this disadvantageous comparison to ,parisian cars1 for the ,french are too fond of ,paris not to be proud even of its ruisseaux1 and incredulous of its fogs1 and any censure on either would be ill received4 ,the gay butterflies when they first expand their varicoloured wings and float in air1 seem not more joyous than the ,parisians have been during the last two days of sunshine4 ,the ,jardins des ,tuileries are crowded with well-dressed groups2 the budding leaves have burst forth with that delicate green peculiar to early spring2 and the chirping of innumerable birds1 as they flit from tree to tree1 announces the approach of the vernal season4 ,paris is at no time so attractive1 in my opinion1 as in spring2 and the verdure of the foliage during its infancy is so tender1 yet bright1 that it looks far more beautiful than with us in our ,london squares or parks1 where no sooner do the leaves open into life1 than they become stained by the impurity of the atmosphere1 which soon deposes its dingy particles on them1 making the green one--black4 ,the ,boulevards were well stocked with flowers to-day1 the bouquetires having resumed their stalls2 and many a pedestrian might be seen bargaining for these fair and frail harbingers of rosy spring4 ,how exhilarating are the effects of this season on the spirits depressed by the long and gloomy winter1 and the frame rendered languid by the same cause6 ,the heart begins to beat with more energetic movement1 the blood flows more briskly through the veins1 and the spirit of hope is revivified in the human heart4 ,this sympathy between awakening nature1 on the earth1 and on man1 renders us more1 that at any other period1 fond of the country2 for this is the season of promise2 and we know that each coming day1 for a certain time1 will bestow some new beauty on all that is now budding forth1 until glowing1 laughing summer has replaced the fitful smiles and tears of spring4 ,and there are persons who tell me they experience nought of this elasticity of spirits at the approach of spring6 ,how are such mortals to be pitied6 ,yet1 perhaps1 they are less so than we imagine1 for the same insensibility that prevents their being exhilarated1 may preclude them from the depression so peculiar to all who have lively feelings4 ,i see nothing so very delightful in spring1 said ---- to me1 yesterday4 ,au contraire1 ,i think it rather disagreeable1 for the sunshine cheats one into the belief of warmth1 and we go forth less warmly clad in consequence1 so return home chilled by the sharp cold air which always prevails at this season1 and find1 as never fails to be the case1 that our stupid servants have let out the fires1 because1 truly1 the sun was shining in the cold blue sky4 ---- reminds me of the man mentioned in ,sterne's works1 who1 when his friend looking on a beautiful prospect1 compared a green field with a flock of snowy-fleeced sheep on it1 to a vast emerald studded with pearls1 answered that he could see nothing in it but grass and mutton4 ,lord ,b---- set out for ,london to-day1 to vote on the ,catholic question1 which is to come on immediately4 ,his going at this moment1 when he is far from well1 is no little sacrifice of personal comfort2 but never did he consider self when a duty was to be performed4 ,i wish the question was carried1 and he safely back again4 ,what would our political friends say if they knew how strongly ,i urged him not to go1 but to send his proxy to ,lord ,rosslyn8 ,i would not have consented to his departure1 were it not that the ,duke of ,wellington takes such an interest in the measure4 ,how times are changed6 and how much is due to those statesmen who yield up their own convictions for the general good6 ,there is no action in the whole life of the ,duke more glorious than his self-abnegation on this occasion1 nor is that of the ,tory leader of the ,house of ,commons less praiseworthy2 yet how many attacks will both incur by this sacrifice of their opinions to expediency6 for when were the actions of public men judged free from the prejudices that discolour and distort all viewed through their medium8 ,that which originates in the purest patriotism1 will be termed an unworthy tergiversation2 but the reward of these great and good men will be found in their own breasts4 ,i am triste and unsettled1 so will try the effect of a drive in the ,bois de ,boulogne4 ,i was forcibly reminded yesterday of the truth of an observation of a clever ,french writer1 who says1 that to judge the real merit of a cook1 one should sit down to table without the least feeling of appetite1 as the triumph of the culinary art was not to satisfy hunger but to excite it4 ,our new cook achieved this triumph yesterday1 for he is so inimitable an artist1 that the flavour of his plats made even me1 albeit unused to the sensation of hunger1 feel disposed to render justice to them4 ,monsieur ,louis--for so he is named--has a great reputation in his art2 and it is evident1 even from the proof furnished of his savoir-faire yesterday1 that he merits it4 ,it is those only who have delicate appetites that can truly appreciate the talent of a cook2 for they who devour soon lose the power of tasting4 ,no symptom of that terrible malady1 well named by the ingenious ,grimod de la ,reynire remords d'estomac1 but vulgarly called indigestion1 follows my unusual indulgence in entres and entremets1 another delightful proof of the admirable skill of ,monsieur ,louis4 ,the ,english are apt to spoil ,french cooks by neglecting the entres for the pice de rsistance1 and1 when the cook discovers this1 which he is soon enabled to do by the slight breaches made in the first1 and the large one in the second1 his amour-propre becomes wounded1 and he begins to neglect his entres4 ,be warned1 then1 by me1 all ye who wish your cooks to retain their skill1 and however your native tastes for that ,english favourite dish denominated a plain joint may prevail1 never fail to taste the entre4 propos of cooks1 an amusing instance of the amour-propre of a ,parisian cook was related to me by the gourmand ,lord ----1 the last time we dined at his house4 ,wishing to have a particular sauce made which he had tasted in ,london1 and for which he got the receipt1 he explained to his cook1 an artist of great celebrity1 how the component parts were to be amalgamated4 ,how1 mylord6 exclaimed ,monsieur le cuisinier2 an ,english sauce6 ,is it possible your lordsip can taste any thing so barbarous8 ,why1 years ago1 my lord1 a profound ,french philosopher described the ,english as a people who had a hundred religions1 but only one sauce4 ,more anxious to get the desired sauce than to defend the taste of his country1 or correct the impertinence of his cook1 ,lord ---- immediately said1 ,on recollection1 ,i find ,i made a mistake2 the sauce ,i mean is la ,hollandaise1 and not l',anglaise4 ,a la bonne heure1 my lord1 c'est autre chose2 and the sauce was forthwith made1 and was served at table the day we dined with ,lord ----4 ,an anecdote is told of this same cook1 which ,lord ---- relates with great good humour4 ,the cook of another ,english nobleman conversing with him1 said1 ,my master is like yours--a great gourmand4 ,pardon me1 replied the other2 there is a vast difference between our masters4 ,yours is simply a gourmand1 mine is an epicure as well4 ,the ,duc de ,talleyrand1 dining with us a few days ago1 observed that to give a perfect dinner1 the ,amphitryon should have a ,french cook for soups1 entres and entremets2 an ,english rtisseur1 and an ,italian confiseur1 as without these1 a dinner could not be faultless4 ,but1 alas6 said he--and he sighed while he spoke it--the ,revolution has destroyed our means of keeping these artists2 and we eat now to support nature1 instead of1 as formerly1 when we ate because it was a pleasure to eat4 ,the good-natured ,duc nevertheless seemed to eat his dinner as if he still continued to take a pleasure in the operation1 and did ample justice to a certain plat de cailles farcies which he pronounced to be perfect4 ,our landlord1 le ,marquis de ,l----1 has sent to offer us the refusal of our beautiful abode4 ,the ,duc de ,n---- has proposed to take it for fourteen on twenty-one years1 at the same rent we pay 7an extravagant one1 by the bye71 and as we only took it for a year1 we must eithor leave or hire it for fourteen or twenty-one years1 which is out of the question4 ,nothing can be more fair or honourable than the conduct of the ,marquis de ,l----1 for he laid before us the offer of the ,duc de ,n----2 but as we do not intend to remain more than two or three years more in ,paris1 we must leave this charming house1 to our infinite regret1 when the year for which we have hired it expires4 ,gladly would we have engaged it for two1 or even three years more1 but this is now impossible2 and we shall have the trouble of again going the round of house-hunting4 ,when ,i look on the suite of rooms in which ,i have passed such pleasant days1 ,i am filled with regret at the prospect of leaving them1 but it cannot be helped1 so it is useless to repine4 ,we have two months to look about us1 and many friends who are occupied in assisting us in the search4 ,a letter from ,lord ,b----2 better1 but still ailing4 ,he presided at the ,covent ,garden ,theatrical ,fund ,dinner1 at the request of the ,duke of ,clarence4 ,he writes me that he met there ,lord ,f4 ,leveson ,gower#e1 who was introduced to him by ,mr4 ,charles ,greville1 and of whom he has conceived a very high opinion4 ,lord ,b---- partakes my belief in physiognomy1 but in this instance the impression formed from the countenance is justified by the reputation of the individual1 who is universally esteemed and respected4 ,went again to see the ,htel ,monaco1 which ,lord ,b---- writes me to close for2 but its gloomy and uncomfortable bed-rooms discourage me1 malgr the splendour of the salons1 which are decidedly the finest ,i have seen at ,paris1 ,i will decide on nothing until ,lord ,b----'s return4 ,went to the ,college of ,ste4-,barbe to-day1 with the ,duchesse de ,guiche1 to see her sons4 ,great was their delight at the meeting4 ,i thought they would never have done embracing her2 and ,i1 too1 was warmly welcomed by these dear and affectionate boys1 who kissed me again and again4 ,they have already won golden opinions at the college1 by their rare aptitude in acquiring all that is taught them1 and by their docility and manly characters4 ,the masters paid the ,duchesse the highest compliments on the progress her sons had made previously to their entrance at ,ste4-,barbe1 and declared that they had never met any children so far advanced for their age4 ,i shared the triumph of this admirable mother1 whose fair cheeks glowed1 and whose beautiful eyes sparkled1 on hearing the eulogiums pronounced on her boys4 ,her observation to me was1 ,how pleased their father will be6 ,ste4-,barbe is a little world in itself1 and a very different world to any ,i had previously seen4 ,in it every thing smacks of learning1 and every body seems wholly engrossed by study4 ,the spirit of emulation animates all1 and excites the youths into an application so intense as to be often found injurious to health4 ,the ambition of surpassing all competitors in their studies operates so powerfully on the generality of the lves1 that the masters frequently find it more necessary to moderate1 than to urge the ardour of the pupils4 ,a boy's reputation for abilities soon gets known1 but he must possess no ordinary ones to be able to distinguish himself in a college where every victory in erudition is sure to be achieved by a well-contested battle4 ,we passed through the quarter of ,paris known as the ,pays ,latin1 the aspect of which is singular1 and is said to have been little changed during the last century4 ,the houses1 chiefly occupied by literary men1 look quaint and picturesque4 ,every man one sees passing has the air of an author1 not as authors now are1 or at least as popular ones are1 well-clothed and prosperous-looking1 but as authors were when genius could not always command a good wardrobe1 and walked forth in habiliments more derogatory to the age in which it was neglected1 than to the individual whose poverty compelled such attire4 ,men in rusty threadbare black1 with books under the arm1 and some with spectacles on nose1 reading while they walked along1 might be encountered at every step4 ,the women1 too1 in the ,pays ,latin1 have a totally different aspect to those of every other part of ,paris4 ,the desire to please1 inherent in the female breast1 seems to have expired in them1 for their dress betrays a total neglect1 and its fashion is that of some forty years ago4 ,even the youthful are equally negligent1 which indicates their conviction that the men they meet seldom notice them1 proving the truth of the old saying1 that women dress to please men4 ,the old1 with locks of snow1 who had grown into senility in this erudite quarter1 still paced the same promenade which they had trodden for many a year1 habit having fixed them where hope once led their steps4 ,the middle-aged1 too1 might be seen with hair beginning to blanch from long hours devoted to the midnight lamp1 and faces marked with the pale cast of thought4 ,hope1 though less sanguine in her promises1 still lures them on1 and they pass the venerable old1 unconscious that they themselves are succeeding them in the same life of study1 to be followed by the same results1 privation1 and solitude1 until death closes the scene4 ,and yet a life of study is1 perhaps1 the one in which the privations compelled by poverty are the least felt to be a hardship4 ,study1 like virtue1 is its own exceeding great reward1 for it engrosses as well as elevates the mind above the sense of the wants so acutely felt by those who have no intellectual pursuits2 and many a student has forgotten his own privations when reading the history of the great and good who have been exposed to even still more trying ones4 ,days pass uncounted in such occupations4 ,youth fleets away1 if not happily1 at least tranquilly1 while thus employed2 and maturity glides into age1 and age drops into the grave1 scarcely conscious of the gradations of each1 owing to the mind having been filled with a continuous train of thought1 engendered by study4 ,i have been reading some ,french poems by ,madame ,amabel ,tastu2 and very beautiful they are4 ,a sweet and healthy tone of mind breathes through them1 and the pensiveness that characterises many of them1 marks a reflecting spirit imbued with tenderness4 ,there is great harmony1 too1 in the versification1 as well as purity and elegance in the diction4 ,how much some works make us wish to know their authors1 and vice vers6 ,i feel1 while reading her poems1 that ,i should like ,madame ,amabel ,tastu2 while other books1 whose cleverness ,i admit1 convince me ,i should not like the writers4 ,a book must always resemble1 more or less1 its author4 ,it is the mind1 or at least a portion of it1 of the individual2 and1 however circumstances may operate on it1 the natural quality must always prevail and peep forth in spite of every effort to conceal it4 ,living much in society seldom fails to deteriorate the force and originality of superior minds2 because1 though unconsciously1 the persons who possess them are prone to fall into the habits of thought of those with whom they pass a considerable portion of their time1 and suffer themselves to degenerate into taking an interest in puerilities on which1 in the privacy of their study1 they would not bestow a single thought4 ,hence1 we are sometimes shocked at observing glaring inconsistencies in the works of writers1 and find it difficult to imagine that the grave reflection which pervades some of the pages can emanate from the same mind that dictated the puerilities abounding in others4 ,the author's profound thoughts were his own1 the puerilities were the result of the friction of his mind with inferior ones3 at least this is my theory1 and1 as it is a charitable one1 ,i like to indulge it4 ,a pleasant party at dinner yesterday4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,spencer1 the poet1 was among the guests1 ,he was much more like the ,william ,spencer of former days than when he dined here before1 and was occasionally brilliant1 though at intervals he relapsed into moodiness4 ,he told some good stories of ,john ,kemble1 and told them well2 but it seemed an effort to him2 and1 while the listeners were still smiling at his excellent imitation of the great tragedian1 he sank back in his chair with an air of utter abstraction4 ,i looked at him1 and almost shuddered at marking the change that had come o'er the spirit of his dream2 for whether the story touched a chord that awakened some painful reflection in his memory1 or that the telling it had exhausted him1 ,i know not1 but his countenance for some minutes assumed a careworn and haggard expression1 and he then glanced around at the guests with an air of surprise1 like one awakened from slumber4 ,it is astonishing how little people observe each other in society6 ,this inattention1 originating in a good breeding that proscribes personal observation1 has degenerated into something that approaches very nearly to total indifference1 and ,i am persuaded that a man might die at table seated between two others without their being aware of it1 until he dropped from his chair4 ,civilization has its disadvantages as well as its advantages1 and ,i think the consciousness that one might expire between one's neighbours at table without their noticing it1 is hardly atoned for by knowing that they will not stare one out of countenance4 ,i often think1 as ,i look around at a large dinner-party1 how few present have the slightest knowledge of what is passing in the minds of the others4 ,the smile worn on many a face may be assumed to conceal a sadness which those who feel it are but too well aware would meet with little sympathy1 for one of the effects of modern civilization is the disregard for the cares of others1 which it engenders4 ,madame de ---- once said to me1 ,i never invite ,monsieur de ----1 because he looks unhappy1 and as if he expected to be questioned as to the cause4 ,this nave confession of ,madame de ---- is what few would make1 but the selfishness that dictated it is what society1 en masse1 feels and acts up to4 ,monsieur de ----1 talking of ,london last evening1 told the ,count ---- to be on his guard not to be too civil to people when he got there4 ,the ,count ---- looked astonished1 and inquired the reason for the advice4 ,merely to prevent your being suspected of having designs on the hearts of the women1 or the purses of the men1 replied ,monsieur de ----2 for no one can evince in ,london society the empressement peculiar to well-bred ,frenchmen without being accused of some unworthy motive for it4 ,i defended my countrymen against the sweeping censure of the cynical ,monsieur de ----1 who shook his head and declared that he spoke from observation4 ,he added1 that persons more than usually polite are always supposed to be poor in ,london1 and that as this supposition was the most injurious to their reception in good society1 he always counselled his friends1 when about to visit it1 to assume a brusquerie of manner1 and a stinginess with regard to money1 by which means they were sure to escape the suspicion of poverty2 as in ,england a parsimonious expenditure and bluntness are supposed to imply the possession of wealth4 ,i ventured to say that ,i could now understand why it was that he passed for being so rich in ,england--a coup de patte that turned the laugh against him4 ,mr4 de ---- is a perfect cynic1 and piques himself on saying what he thinks1--a habit more frequently adopted by those who think disagreeable1 than agreeable things4 ,dined yesterday at ,madame ,c----'s1 and being ,friday1 had a dner maigre1 than which ,i know no dinner more luxurious1 provided that the cook is a perfect artist1 and that the ,amphitryon1 as was the case in this instance1 objects not to expense4 ,the soupes and entres left no room to regret the absence of flesh or poultry from their component parts1 and the relevs1 in the shape of a brochet rti1 and a turbot la hollandaise supplied the place of the usual pices de rsistance4 ,but not only was the flavour of the entres quite as good as if they were composed of meat or poultry1 but the appearance offered the same variety1 and the ctelettes de poisson and fricandeau d'esturgeon might have deceived all but the profoundly learned in gastronomy1--they looked so exactly like lamb and veal4 ,the second course offered equally delicate substitutes for the usual dainties1 and the most fastidious epicure might have been more than satisfied with the entremets4 ,the bishops in ,france are said to have had the most luxurious dinners imaginable on what were erroneously styled fast-days2 and their cooks had such a reputation for their skill1 that the having served ,monseigneur d'glise was a passport to the kitchens of all lovers of good eating4 ,there are people so profane as to insinuate that the excellence at which the cooks arrived in dressing les dners maigres is one of the causes why ,catholicism has continued to flourish2 but this1 of course1 must be looked on as a malicious hint of the enemies to that faith which thus proves itself less addicted to indulgence in the flesh than are its decryers4 ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,the more ,i observe ,lady ,c---- the more surprised ,i am at the romantic feelings she still indulges1 and the illusions under which she labours2--yes labours is the suitable word1 for it can be nothing short of laborious1 at her age1 to work oneself into the belief that love is an indispensable requisite for life4 ,not the affection into which the love of one's youth subsides1 but the wild1 the ungovernable passion peculiar to the heroes and heroines of novels1 and young ladies and gentlemen recently emancipated from boarding-schools and colleges4 ,poor ,lady ,c----1 with so many estimable qualities1 what a pity it is she should have this weakness6 ,she maintained in our conversation yesterday that true love could never be extinguished in the heart1 and that even in age it burnt with the same fire as when first kindled4 ,i quoted to her a passage from ,le ,brun1 who says--,l'amour peut s'teindre sans doute dans le coeur d'un galant homme2 mais combien de ddommagements n'a-t-il pas alors offrir6 ,l'estime1 l'amiti1 la confiance1 ne suffisent-elles pas aux glaces de la vieillesse8 ,lady ,c---- thinks not4 ,talking last night of ----1 some one observed that it was disagreeable to have such a neighbour1 as he did nothing but watch and interfere in the concerns of others4 ,give me in preference such a man as le ,comte ----1 said ,monsieur ----1 slily1 who never bestows a thought but on self1 and is too much occupied with that interesting subject to have time to meddle with the affairs of other people4 ,you are right1 observed ,madame ----1 gravely1 believing him to be serious2 it is much preferable4 ,but surely1 said ,i1 determined to continue the mystification1 you are unjustly severe in your animadversions on poor ,monsieur ----4 ,does he not prove himself a true philanthropist in devoting the time to the affairs of others that might be usefully occupied in attending to his own8 ,you are quite right1 said ,mrs4 ----2 ,i never viewed his conduct in this light before2 and now that ,i understand it ,i really begin to like him1--a thing ,i thought quite impossible before you convinced me of the goodness of his motives4 ,how many ,mrs4 ----'s there are in the world1 with minds ductile as wax1 ready to receive any impression one wishes to give them6 ,yet ,i reproached myself for assisting to hoax her1 when ,i saw the smiles excited by her credulity4 ,mademoiselle ,delphine ,gay#f is one of the agreeable proofs that genius is hereditary4 ,i have been reading some productions of hers that greatly pleased me4 ,her poetry is graceful1 the thoughts are natural1 and the versification is polished4 ,she is a very youthful authoress1 and a beauty as well as a bel esprit4 ,her mother's novels have beguiled many an hour of mine that might otherwise have been weary1 for they have the rare advantage of displaying an equal knowledge of the world with a lively sensibility4 ,all ,frenchwomen write well4 ,they possess the art of giving interest even to trifles1 and have a natural eloquence de plume1 as well as de langue1 that renders the task an easy one4 ,it is the custom in ,england to decry ,french novels1 because the ,english unreasonably expect that the literature of other countries should be judged by the same criterion by which they examine their own1 without making sufficient allowance for the different manners and habits of the nations4 ,without arrogating to myself the pretension of a critic1 ,i should be unjust if ,i did not acknowledge that ,i have perused many a ,french novel by modern authors1 from which ,i have derived interest and pleasure4 ,the ,french critics are not loath to display their acumen in reviewing the works of their compatriots1 for they not only analyze the demerits with pungent causticity1 but apply to them the severest of all tests1 that of ridicule2 in the use of which dangerous weapon they excel4 ,house-hunting the greater part of the day4 ,oh the weariness of such an occupation1 and1 above all1 after having lived in so delightful a house as the one we inhabit6 ,many of our ,french friends have come and told us that they had found htels exactly to suit us3 and we have driven next day to see them1 when lo and behold6 these eligible mansions were either situated in some disagreeable quartier1 or consisted of three fine salons de rception1 with some half-dozen miserable dormitories1 and a passage-room by way of salle manger4 ,though ,paris abounds with fine htels entre cour et jardin1 they are seldom to be let2 and those to be disposed of are generally divided into suites of apartments1 appropriated to different persons4 ,one of the htels recommended by a friend was on the ,boulevards1 with the principal rooms commanding a full view of that populous and noisy quarter of ,paris4 ,i should have gone mad in such a dwelling1 for the possibility of reading1 or almost of thinking1 amidst such an ever-moving scene of bustle and din1 would be out of the question4 ,the modern ,french do not seem to appreciate the comfort of quiet and seclusion in the position of their abodes1 for they talk of the enlivening influence of a vicinity to these same ,boulevards from which ,i shrink with alarm4 ,it was not so in former days2 witness the delightful htels before alluded to1 entre cour et jardin1 in which the inhabitants1 although in the centre of ,paris1 might enjoy all the repose peculiar to a house in the country4 ,there is something1 ,i am inclined to think1 in the nature of the ,parisians that enables them to support noise better than we can1--nay1 not only to support1 but even to like it4 ,i received an edition of the works of ,l4,e4,l4 yesterday from ,london4 ,she is a charming poetess1 full of imagination and fancy1 dazzling one moment by the brilliancy of her flights1 and the next touching the heart by some stroke of pathos4 ,how ,byron would have admired her genius1 for it bears the stamp of being influenced no less by a graceful and fertile fancy than by a deep sensibility1 and the union of the two gives a peculiar charm to her poems4 ,drove to the ,bois de ,boulogne to-day1 with the ,comtesse d',o----1 ,i know no such brilliant talker as she is4 ,no matter what may be the subject of conversation1 her wit flashes brightly on all1 and without the slightest appearance of effort or pretension4 ,she speaks from a mind overflowing with general information1 made available by a retentive memory1 a ready wit1 and in exhaustible good spirits4 ,letters from dear ,italy4 ,shall ,i ever see that delightful land again8 ,a letter1 too1 from ,mrs4 ,francis ,hare1 asking me to be civil to some ,english friends of hers1 who are come to ,paris1 which ,i shall certainly be for her sake4 propos of the ,english1 it is amusing to witness the avidity with which many of them not only accept but court civilities abroad1 and the sang-froid with which they seem to forget them when they return home4 ,i have as yet had no opportunity of judging personally on this point1 but ,i hear such tales on the subject as would justify caution1 if one was disposed to extend hospitality with any prospective view to gratitude for it1 which we never have done1 and never will do4 ,mine is the philosophy of ----1 who1 when his extreme hospitality to his countrymen was remarked on1 answered1 ,i can't eat all my good dinners alone1 and if ,i am lucky enough to find now and then a pleasant guest1 it repays me for the many dull ones invited4 ,i expect no gratitude for our hospitality to our compatriots1 and ,blessed are they who expect not1 for they will not be disappointed4 ,longchamps has not equalled my expectations4 ,it is a dull affair after all1 resembling the drive in ,hyde ,park on a ,sunday in ,may1 the promenade in the ,cacina at ,florence1 in the ,corso at ,rome1 or the ,chaija at ,naples1 in all save the elegance of the dresses of the women1 in which ,longchamps has an immeasurable superiority4 ,it is at ,longchamps that the ,parisian spring fashions are first exhibited1 and busy are the modistes for many weeks previously in putting their powers of invention to the test1 in order to bring out novelties1 facsimiles of which are1 the ensuing week1 forwarded to ,england1 ,italy1 ,germany1 ,holland1 and ,russia4 ,the coachmakers1 saddlers1 and horse-dealers1 are also put in requisition for this epoch2 and1 though the exhibition is no longer comparable to what it was in former times1 when a luxurious extravagance not only in dress1 but in equipages1 was displayed1 some handsome and well-appointed carriages are still to be seen4 ,among the most remarkable for good taste1 were those of the ,princess ,bagration1 and ,monsieur ,schikler1 whose very handsome wife attracted more admiration than the elegant vehicle in which she was seated1 or the fine steeds that drew it4 ,those who are disposed to question the beauty of ,french women1 should have been at ,longchamps to-day1 when their scepticism would certainly have been vanquished1 for ,i saw several women there whose beauty could admit of no doubt even by the most fastidious critic of female charms4 ,the ,duchesse de ,guiche1 however1 bore off the bell from all competitors1 and so the spectators who crowded the ,champs-,elyses seemed to think4 ,of her may be said what ,choissy stated of la ,duchesse de la ,vallire1 she has ,la grace plus belle encore que la beaut4 ,the handsome ,duchesse d',istrie and countless other beauts la mode were present1 and well sustained the reputation for beauty of the ,parisian ladies4 ,the men caracoled between the carriages on their proud and prancing steeds1 followed by grooms1 l',anglaise1 in smart liveries1 and the people crowded the footpaths on each side of the drive1 commenting aloud on the equipages and their owners that passed before them4 ,the promenade at ,longchamps1 which takes place in the ,holy ,week1 is said to owe its origin to a religious procession that went annually to a church so called1 whence it by degrees changed its character1 and became a scene of gaiety1 in which the most extravagant exhibitions of luxury were displayed4 ,one example1 out of many1 of this extravagance1 is furnished by a publication of the epoch at which ,longchamps was in its most palmy state1 when a certain ,mademoiselle ,duth1 whose means of indulging in inordinate expense were not solely derived from her ostensible profession as one of the performers attached to the ,opera1 figured in the promenade in a carriage of the most sumptuous kind1 drawn by no less than six thorough-bred horses1 the harness of which was of blue morocco1 studded with polished steel ornaments1 which produced the most dazzling effect4 ,that our times are improved in respect1 at least1 to appearances1 may be fairly concluded from the fact that no example of a similar ostentatious display of luxury is ever now exhibited by persons in the same position as ,mademoiselle ,duth2 and that if the same folly that enabled her to indulge in such extravagance still prevails1 a sense of decency prevents all public display of wealth so acquired4 ,modern morals censure not people so much for their vices as for the display of them1 as ,aleibiades was blamed not for loving ,nemea1 but for allowing himself to be painted reposing on her lap4 ,finished the perusal of ,cinq ,mars1 by ,count ,alfred de ,vigny4 ,it is an admirable production1 and deeply interested me4 ,the sentiments noble and elevated1 without ever degenerating into aught approaching to bombast1 and the pathos such as a manly heart might feel1 without incurring the accusation of weakness4 ,the author must be a man of fine feelings1 as well as of genius1--but were they ever distinct8 ,i like to think they cannot be1 for my theory is1 that the feelings are to genius what the chords are to a musical instrument--they must be touched to produce effect4 ,the style of ,count ,alfred de ,vigny merits the eulogium passed by ,lord ,shaftesbury on that of an author in his time1 of which he wrote1 ,it is free from that affected obscurity and laboured pomp of language aiming at a false sublime1 with crowded simile and mixed metaphor 7the hobby-horse and rattle of the ,muses47 ---- dined with us yesterday1 and1 clever as ,i admit him to be1 he often displeases me by his severe strictures on mankind4 ,i told him that he exposed himself to the suspicion of censuring it only because he had studied a bad specimen of it 7self7 more attentively than the good that fell in his way3 a reproof that turned the current of his conversation into a more agreeable channel1 though he did not seem to like the hint4 ,it is the fashion for people now-a-days to affect this cynicism1 and to expend their wit at the expense of poor human nature1 which is abused en masse for the sins of those who abuse it from judging of all others by self4 ,how different is ----1 who thinks so well of his species1 that1 like our ,english laws1 he disbelieves the existence of guilt until it is absolutely proved1--a charity originating in a superior nature1 and a judgment formed from an involuntary consciousness of it6 ---- suspects evil on all sides1 and passes his time in guarding against it4 ,he dares not indulge friendship1 because he doubts the possibility of its being disinterested1 and feels no little self-complacency when the conduct of those with whom he comes in contact justifies his suspicions4 ----1 on the contrary1 if sometimes deceived1 feels no bitterness1 because he believes that the instance may be a solitary one1 and finds consolation in those whose truth he has yet had no room to question4 ,his is the best philosophy1 for though it cannot preclude occasional disappointment1 it ensures much happiness1 as the indulgence of good feelings invariably does1 and he often creates the good qualities he gives credit for1 as few persons are so bad as not to wish to justify the favourable opinion entertained of them1 as few are so good as to resist the demoralising influence of unfounded suspicions4 ,a letter from ,lord ,b----1 announcing a majority of #aje on the bill of the ,catholic question4 ,lord ,grey made an admirable speech1 with a happy allusion to the fact of ,lord ,howard of ,effingham1 who commanded the ,english fleet in the reign of ,elizabeth1 having1 though a ,roman ,catholic1 destroyed the ,armada under the anointed banner of the ,pope4 ,what a triumphant refutation of the notion that ,roman ,catholics dared not oppose the ,pope6 ,lord ,b---- writes1 that the brilliant and justly merited eulogium pronounced by ,lord ,grey on the ,duke of ,wellington was rapturously received by the ,house4 ,how honourable to both was the praise6 ,i feel delighted that ,lord ,grey should have distinguished himself on this occasion1 for he is one of the friends in ,england whom ,i most esteem4 ---- dined here to-day4 ,he reminds me of the larva1 which is the first state of animal existence in the caterpillar1 for his appetite is voracious1 and1 as a ,french naturalist states in describing that insect1 ,tout est estomac dans un larve4 ---- is of the opinion of ,aretus1 that the stomach is the great source of pleasurable affections1 and that as ,nature abhors a vacuum1 the more filled it is the better4 ,dining is a serious affair with ----4 ,soup1 fish1 flesh1 and fowl1 disappear from his plate with a rapidity that is really surprising2 and while they are vanishing1 not into empty air1 but into the yawning abyss of his ravenous jaws1 his eyes wander around1 seeking what next those same ravenous jaws may devour4 ,on beholding a person indulge in such gluttony1 ,i feel a distaste to eating1 as a certain double-refined lady of my acquaintance declared that witnessing the demonstrations of love between two persons of low and vulgar habits so disgusted her with the tender passion1 that she was sure she never could experience it herself4 ,i have been reading la ,chronique du ,temps de ,charles ,,ix1 by ,prosper ,mrime1 and a most interesting and admirably written book it is4 ,full of stirring scenes and incidents1 it contains the most graphic pictures of the manners of the time in which the story is placed1 and the interest progresses1 never flagging from the commencement to the end4 ,this book will be greatly admired in ,england1 where the romances of our great ,northern ,wizard have taught us to appreciate the peculiar merit in which this abounds4 ,sir ,walter ,scott will be one of the first to admire and render justice to this excellent book1 and to welcome into the field of literature this highly gifted brother of the craft4 ,the ,french writers deserve justice from the ,english1 for they invariably treat the works of the latter with indulgence4 ,scott is not more read or esteemed in his own country than here2 and even the productions of our young writers are more kindly treated than those of their own youthful aspirants for fame4 ,french critics have much merit for this amenity1 because the greater number of them possess a peculiar talent1 for the exercise of their critical acumen1 which renders the indulgence of it1 like that of the power of ridicule1 very tempting4 ,among the most remarkable critics of the day ,jules ,janin1 who though yet little more than a youth1 evinces such talent as a reviewer as to be the terror of mediocrity4 ,his style is pungent and vigorous1 his satire searching and biting1 and his tact in pointing ridicule unfailing4 ,he bids fair to take a most distinguished place in his profession4 ,spent last evening in the ,rue d',anjou1 where ,i met the usual circle and ----4 ,he bepraised every one that was named during the evening1 and so injudiciously1 that it was palpable he knew little of those upon whom he expended his eulogiums2 nay1 he lauded some whom he acknowledged he had never seen1 on the same principle that actuated the ,romans of old who1 having deified every body they knew1 erected at last an altar to the unknown ,gods1 lest any should by chance be omitted4 ,this habit of indiscriminate praise is almost as faulty as that of general censure1 and is1 in my opinion1 more injurious to the praised than the censure is to the abused1 because people are prone to indulge a greater degree of sympathy towards those attacked than towards those who are commended4 ,no one said ,amen to the praises heaped on some really deserving people by ----1 but several put in a palliating pourtant to the ill-natured remarks made by ----1 whose habit of abusing all who chance to be named is quite as remarkable as the other's habit of praising4 ,i would prefer being attacked by ---- to being lauded by ----1 for the extravagance of the eulogiums of the latter would excite more ill-will towards me than the censures of the other1 as the self-love of the listeners disposes them to feel more kindly to the one they can pity1 than to the person they are disposed to envy4 ,i never look at dear1 good ,madame ,c---1 without thinking how soon we may1--nay1 we must lose her4 ,at her very advanced age we cannot hope that she will be long spared to us2 yet her freshness of heart and wonderful vivacity of mind would almost cheat one into a hope of her long continuing amongst us4 ,she drove out with me yesterday to the ,bois de ,boulogne1 and1 when remarking how verdant and beautiful all around was looking1 exclaimed1 ,ah6 why is no second spring allowed to us8 ,i hear1 continued she1 people say they would not like to renew their youth1 but ,i cannot believe them4 ,there are times--would you believe it8--that ,i forget my age1 and feel so young in imagination that ,i can scarcely bring myself to think this heart1 which is still so youthful1 can appertain to the same frame to which is attached this faded and wrinkled face1 and she raised her hand to her cheek4 ,ah6 my dear friend1 it is a sad1 sad thing to mark this fearful change1 and ,i never look in my mirror without being shocked4 ,the feelings ought to change with the person1 and the heart should become as insensible as the face becomes withered4 ,the change in the face is so gradual1 too1 continued ,madame ,c----4 ,we see ourselves after thirty-five1 each day looking a little less well 7we are loath to think it ugly71 and we attribute it not to the true cause1 the approach of that enemy to beauty--age1--but to some temporary indisposition1 a bad night's rest1 or an unbecoming cap4 ,we thus go on cheating ourselves1 but not cheating others1 until some day when the light falls more clearly on our faces1 and the fearful truth stands revealed4 ,wrinkles have usurped the place of dimples2 horrid lines1 traced by ,time1 have encircled the eyelids2 the eyes1 too1 no longer bright and pellucid1 become dim2 the lips dry and colourless1 the teeth yellow1 and the cheeks pale and faded1 as a dried rose-leaf long pressed in a hortus siccus4 ,alas1 alas6 who can help thinking of all this when one sees the trees opening into their rich foliage1 the earth putting forth its bright verdure1 and the flowers budding into bloom1 while we resemble the hoar and dreary winter1 and scarcely retain a trace of the genial summer we once knew4 ,this conversation suggested the following lines1 which ,i wish ,i could translate into ,french verse to give to ,madame ,c----3 ,,gray ,,hairs4 ,snowy blossoms of the grave ,that now o'er care-worn temples wave1 ,oh6 what change hath pass'd since ye ,o'er youthful brows fell carelessly6 ,in silken curls of ebon hue ,that with such wild luxuriance grew1 ,the raven's dark and glossy wing ,a richer shadow scarce could fling4 ,the brow that tells a tale of ,care ,that ,sorrow's pen hath written there1 ,in characters too deeply traced ,ever on earth to be effaced1 ,was then a page of spotless white1 ,where ,love himself might wish to write4 ,the jetty arches that did rise1 ,as if to guard the brilliant eyes1 ,have lost their smoothness2--and no more ,the eyes can sparkle as of yore3 ,they look like fountains form'd by tears1 ,where perish'd ,hope in by-gone years4 ,the nose that served as bridge between ,the brow and mouth--for ,love1 ,i ween1 ,to pass--hath lost its sculptured air4 ,for ,time1 the spoiler1 hath been there4 ,the mouth--ah6 where's the crimson dye ,that youth and health did erst supply8 ,are these pale lips that seldom smile1 ,the same that laugh'd1 devoid of guile4 ,shewing within their coral cell ,the shining pearls that there did dwell1 ,but dwell no more8 ,the pearls are fled1 ,and homely teeth are in their stead4 ,the cheeks have lost the blushing rose ,that once their surface could disclose2 ,a dull1 pale tint has spread around1 ,where rose and lily erst were found4 ,the throat1 and bust--but1 ah6 forbear1 ,let's draw a veil for ever there2 ,too fearful is 't to put in rhyme ,the changes wrought by cruel ,time1 ,the faithful mirror well reveals ,the truth that flattery conceals2 ,the charms once boasted1 now are flown1 ,but mind and heart are still thine own2 ,and thou canst see the wreck of years1 ,and ghost of beauty1 without tears4 ,no outward change thy soul shouldst wring1 ,oh6 mourn but for the change within2 ,grieve over bright illusions fled1 ,o'er fondly cherish'd hope1 now dead1 ,o'er errors of the days of youth1 ,ere wisdom taught the path of truth4 ,then hail1 ye blossoms of the grave1 ,that o'er the care-worn temples wave-- ,sent to remind us of that bourn1 ,whence traveller can ne'er return2 ,the harbingers of peace and rest1 ,where only mortals can be blest4 ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,read ,victor ,hugo's ,dernier ,jour d'un ,condamn6 ,it is powerfully written1 and the author identifies his feelings so strongly with the condemned1 that he must1 while writing the book1 have experienced similar emotions to those which a person in the same terrible position would have felt4 ,wonderful power of genius1 that can thus excite sympathy for the erring and the wretched1 and awaken attention to a subject but too little thought of in our selfish times1 namely1 the expediency of the abolition of capital punishment6 ,a perusal of ,victor ,hugo's graphic book will do more to lead men's minds to reflect on this point than all the dull essays2 or as dull speeches1 that may be written or made on it4 ,talking of ---- to-day with ---- ----1 she remarked that he had every sense but common sense1 and made light of this deficiency4 ,how frequently do we hear people do this1 as if the possession of talents or various fine qualities can atone for its absence6 ,common sense is not only positively necessary to render talent available by directing its proper application1 but is indispensable as a monitor to warn men against error4 ,without this guide the passions and feelings will be ever leading men astray1 and even those with the best natural dispositions will fall into error4 ,common sense is to the individual what the compass is to the mariner--it enables him to steer safely through the rocks1 shoals1 and whirlpools that intersect his way4 ,were the lives of criminals accurately known1 ,i am persuaded that it would be found that from a want of common sense had proceeded their guilt2 for a clear perception of crime would do more to check its perpetration1 than the goodness of heart which is so frequently urged as a preventive against it4 ,conscience is the only substitute for common sense1 but even this will not supply its place in all cases4 ,conscience will lead a man to repent or atone for crime1 but common sense will preclude his committing it by enabling him to judge of the result4 ,i frequently hear people say1 ,so and so are very clever1 or very cunning1 and are well calculated to make their way in the world4 ,this opinion seems to me to be a severe satire on the world1 for as cunning can only appertain to a mean intellect1 to which it serves as a poor substitute for sense1 it argues ill for the world to suppose it can be taken in by it4 ,i never knew a sensible1 or a good person1 who was cunning2 and ,i have known so many weak and wicked ones who possessed this despicable quality1 that ,i hold it in abhorrence1 except in very young children1 to whom ,providence gives it before they arrive at good sense4 ,went a round of the curiosity shops on the ,quai d',orsay1 and bought an amber vase of rare beauty1 said to have once belonged to the ,empress ,josephine4 ,when ,i see the beautiful objects collected together in these shops1 ,i often think of their probable histories1 and of those to whom they once belonged4 ,each seems to identify itself with the former owner1 and conjures up in my mind a little romance4 ,a vase of rock crystal1 set in precious stones1 seen today1 could never have belonged to aught but some beauty1 for whom it was selected by an adoring lover or husband1 ere yet the honeymoon had passed4 ,a chased gold tui1 enriched with oriental agates and brilliants1 must have appertained to some grande dame1 on whose table it rested in a richly-decorated salon2 and could it speak1 what piquant disclosures might it not make6 ,the fine old watch1 around the dial of which sparkle diamonds1 and on the back the motto1 executed in the same precious stones1 ,vous me faites oublier les heures1 once adorned the slender waist of some dainty dame1--a nuptial gift4 ,the silvery sound of its bell often reminded her of the flight of ,time1 and her caro sposo of the effects of it on his inconstant heart1 long before her mirror told her of the ravages of the tyrant4 ,the flacon so tastefully ornamented1 has been held to delicate nostrils when the megrim--that malady peculiar to refined organisations and susceptible nerves--has assailed its fair owner2 and the heart-shaped pincushion of crimson velvet1 inclosed in its golden case and stuck with pins1 has been likened by the giver to his own heart1 pierced by the darts of ,love--a simile that probably displeased not the fair creature to whom it was addressed4 ,here are the expensive and tasteful gifts1 the gages d'amour1 not often disinterested1 as bright and beautiful as when they left the hands of the jeweller2 but the givers and the receivers where are they8 ,mouldered in the grave long1 long years ago6 ,through how many hands may these objects not have passed since ,death snatched away the persons for whom they were originally designed6 ,and here they are in the ignoble custody of some avaricious vender1 who having obtained them at the sale of some departed amateur for less than half their first cost1 now expects to extort more than double4 ,he takes them up in his unwashed fingers1 turns them--oh1 profanation6--round and round1 in order to display their various merits1 descants on the delicacy of the workmanship1 the sharpness of the chiseling1 the pure water of the brilliants1 and the fine taste displayed in the form2 tells a hundred lies about the sum he gave for them1 the offers he has refused1 the persons to whom they once belonged1 and those who wish to purchase them6 ,the flacon of some defunct prude is placed side by side with the vinaigrette of some jolie danseuse who was any thing but prudish4 ,how shocked would the original owner of the flacon feel at the friction6 ,the fan of some grande dame de la cour touches the diamond-mounted tui of the wife of some financier1 who would have given half her diamonds to enter the circle in which she who once owned this fan found more ennui than amusement4 ,the cane of a deceased philosopher is in close contact with the golden-hilted sword of a petit matre de l'ancien rgime1 and the sparkling tabatire of a ,marquis ,musqu1 the partaker if not the cause of half his succs dans le monde1 is placed by the chapelet of a religieuse de haute naissance1 who often perhaps dropped a tear on the beads as she counted them in saying her ,ave ,marias1 when some unbidden thought of the world she had resigned usurped the place of her aspirations for a brighter and more enduring world4 ,and so 't will be when ,i am gone1 as ,moore's beautiful song says2 the rare and beautiful bijouterie which ,i have collected with such pains1 and looked on with such pleasure1 will probably be scattered abroad1 and find their resting places not in gilded salons1 but in the dingy coffers of the wily brocanteur1 whose exorbitant demands will preclude their finding purchasers4 ,even these inanimate and puerile objects have their moral1 if people would but seek it2 but what has not1 to a reflecting mind8--complained bitterly to-day1 of having been attacked by an anonymous scribbler4 ,i was surprised to see a man accounted clever and sensible1 so much annoyed by what ,i consider so wholly beneath his notice4 ,it requires only a knowledge of the world and a self-respect to enable one to treat such attacks with the contempt they merit2 and those who allow themselves to be mortified by them must be deficient in these necessary qualifications for passing smoothly through life4 ,it seems to me to indicate great weakness of mind1 when a person permits his peace to be at the mercy of every anonymous scribbler who1 actuated by envy or hatred 7the invariable causes of such attacks71 writes a libel on him4 ,if a person so attacked would but reflect that few1 if any1 who have acquired celebrity1 or have been favoured by fortune1 have ever escaped similar assaults1 he would be disposed to consider them as the certain proofs of a merit1 the general acknowledgment of which has excited the ire of the envious1 thus displayed by the only mean within their reach--anonymous abuse4 ,anonymous assailants may be likened to the cuttle-fish1 which employs the inky secretions it forms as a means of tormenting its enemy and baffling pursuit4 ,i have been reading the poems of ,mrs4 ,hemans1 and exquisite they are4 ,they affect me like sacred music1 and never fail to excite religious sentiments4 ,england only could have produced this poetess1 and peculiar circumstances were necessary to the developement of her genius4 ,the music of the versification harmonises well with the elevated character of the thoughts1 which inspire the reader 7at least such is their effect on me7 with a pensive sentiment of resignation that is not without a deep charm to a mind that loves to withdraw itself from the turmoil and bustle incidental to a life passed in a gay and brilliant capital4 ,the mind of this charming poetess must be like an olian harp1 that every sighing wind awakes to music1 but to grave and chastened melody1 the full charm of which can only be truly appreciated by those who have sorrowed1 and who look beyond this earth for repose4 ,well might ,gothe write1 ,wo du das ,genie erblickst ,erblickst du auch zugleich die martkrone#g for where is ,genius to be found that has not been tried by suffering8 ,moore has beautifully said1 ,the hearths that are soonest awake to the flowers1 ,are always the first to be pierced by the thorns2 and so it is with poets3 they feel intensely before they can make others feel even superficially4 ,and there are those who can talk lightly and irreverently of the sufferings from which spring such exquisite1 such glorious music1 unconscious that the fine organization and delicate susceptibility of the minds of ,genius which give such precious gifts to delight others1 receive deep wounds from weapons that could not make an incision on impenetrable hearts like their own4 ,yes1 the hearts of people of genius may be said to resemble the ,american maple-trees1 which must be pierced ere they yield their honied treasures4 ,if ,mrs4 ,hemans had been as happy as she deserved to be1 it is probable that she would never have written the exquisite poems ,i have been reading2 for the fulness of content leaves no room for the sweet and bitter fancies engendered by an imagination that finds its ,hippocrene in the fountain of ,sorrow1 whose source is in the heart1 and can only flow when touched by the hand of ,care4 ,well may ,england be proud of such poetesses as she can now boast6 ,johanna ,baillie1 the noble-minded and elevated2 ,miss ,bowles1 the pure1 the true2 ,miss ,mitford1 the gifted and the natural2 and ,mrs4 ,hemans and ,miss ,landon1 though last not least in the galaxy of ,genius1 with imaginations as brilliant as their hearts are generous and tender4 ,who can read the productions of these gifted women1 without feeling a lively interest in their welfare1 and a pride in belonging to the country that has given them birth8 ,lord ,b---- arrived yesterday1 and1 ,heaven be thanked6 is in better health4 ,he says the spring is three weeks more advanced at ,paris than in ,london4 ,he is delighted at the ,catholic ,question having been carried2 and trusts1 as ,i do1 that ,ireland will derive the greatest benefit from the measure4 ,how few1 with estates in a province where so strong a prejudice is entertained against ,roman ,catholics as exists in the north of ,ireland1 would have voted as ,lord ,b---- has done2 but1 like his father1 ,lord ,b---- never allows personal interest to interfere in the discharge of a duty6 ,if there were many such landlords in ,ireland1 prejudices1 the bane of that country1 would soon subside4 ,lord ,b---- came back laden with presents for me4 ,some of them are quite beautiful1 and would excite the envy of half my sex4 ,received letters from good1 dear ,sir ,william ,gell1 and the no less dear and good ,archbishop of ,tarentum1 both urging us to return to ,italy to see them1 as they say1 once more before they die4 ,receiving letters from absent friends who are dear to us1 has almost as much of sadness as of pleasure in it2 for although it is consolatory to know that they are in life1 and are not unmindful of us1 still a closely written sheet of paper is but a poor substitute for the animated conversation1 the cordial grasp of the hand1 and the kind glance of the eye2 and we become more sensible of the distance that divides us when letters written many days ago arrive1 and we remember with dread that1 since these very epistles were indited1 the hands that traced them may be chilled by death4 ,this fear1 which recurs so often to the mind in all cases of absence from those dear to us1 becomes still more vivid where infirmity of health and advanced age render the probability of the loss of friends the greater4 ,italy--dear1 beautiful ,italy--with all its sunshine and attractions1 would not be the same delightful residence to me if ,i no longer found there the friends who made my sjour there so pleasant2 and among these the ,archbishop and ,sir ,william ,gell stand prominent4 ,gell writes me that some new and interesting discoveries have been made at ,pompeii4 ,would that ,i could be transported there for a few days to see them with him1 as ,i have beheld so many before when we were present at several excavations together1 and saw exposed to the light of day objects that had been for two thousand years buried in darkness6 ,there was a thrilling feeling of interest awakened in the breast by the first view of these so-long-interred articles of use or ornament of a bygone generation1 and on the spot where their owners perished4 ,it was as though the secrets of the grave were revealed2 and that1 to convince us of the perishable coil of which mortals are formed1 it is given us to behold how much more durable are the commonest utensils of daily use than the frames of those who boast themselves lords of the creation4 ,but here am ,i moralizing1 when ,i ought to be taking advantage of this glorious day by a promenade in the ,bois de ,boulogne1 where ,i promised to conduct ,madame d',o----2 so allons en voiture4 ,read the ,disowned1 and like it exceedingly4 ,it is full of beautiful thoughts1 sparkling with wit1 teeming with sentiment1 and each and all of them based on immutable truths4 ,the more ,i read of the works of this highly gifted writer1 the more am ,i delighted with them2 for his philosophy passes through the alembic of a mind glowing with noble and generous sentiments1 of which it imbibes the hues4 ,the generality of readers pause not to reflect on the truth and beauty of the sentiments to be found in novels4 ,they hurry on to the dnoment2 and a stirring incident1 skilfully managed1 which serves to develope the plot1 finds more admirers than the noblest thoughts1 or most witty maxims4 ,yet as people who read nothing else1 will read novels1 authors like ,mr4 ,bulwer1 whose minds are overflowing with genius1 are compelled to make fiction the vehicle for giving to the public thoughts and opinions that are deserving of a higher grade of literature4 ,the greater portion of novel readers1 liking not to be detained from the interest of the story by any extraneous matter1 however admirable it may be1 skip over the passages that most delight those who read to reflect1 and not for mere amusement4 ,i find myself continually pausing over the admirable and profound reflections of ,mr4 ,bulwer1 and almost regret that his writings do not meet the public as the papers of the ,spectator did1 when a single one of them was deemed as essential to the breakfast-table of all lovers of literature as a morning journal is now to the lovers of news4 ,the merit of the thoughts would be then duly appreciated1 instead of being hastily passed over in the excitement of the story which they intersect4 ,a long visit from ----1 and1 as usual1 politics furnished the topic4 ,how ,i wish people would never talk politics to me6 ,i have no vocation for that abstruse science1--a science in which even those who devote all their time and talents to it1 but rarely arrive at a proficiency4 ,in vain do ,i profess my ignorance and inability2 people will not believe me1 and think it necessary to enter into political discussions that ennuient me beyond expression4 ,if ---- is to be credited1 ,charles the ,tenth and his government are so unpopular that his reign will not pass without some violent commotion4 ,a fatality appears to attend this family1 which1 like the house of ,stuart1 seems doomed never to conciliate the affections of the people4 ,and yet1 ,charles the ,tenth is said not to be disposed to tyrannical measures1 neither is he without many good qualities4 ,but the last of the ,stuart sovereigns also was naturally a humane and good man1 yet he was driven from his kingdom and his throne1--a proof that weakness of mind is1 perhaps1 of all faults in a monarch1 the one most likely to compromise the security of his dynasty4 ,the restoration of the ,stuarts after ,cromwell1 was hailed with much more enthusiasm in ,england than that of ,louis the ,eighteenth1 after the abdication of the ,emperor ,napoleon4 ,yet that enthusiasm was no pledge that the people would bear from the descendants of the ill-fated ,charles the ,first--that most perfect of all gentlemen and meekest of ,christians--what they deprived him of not only his kingdom but his life for attempting4 ,the house of ,bourbon1 like that of ,stuart1 has had its tragedy1 offering a fearful lesson to sovereigns and a terrific example to subjects4 ,it has had1 also1 its restoration2 and1 if report may be credited1 the parallel will not rest here3 for there are those who assert that as ,james was supplanted on the throne of ,england by a relative while yet the legitimate and unoffending heir lived1 so will also the place of ,charles the ,tenth be filled by one between whom and the crown stand two legitimate barriers4 ,time will tell how far the predictions of ---- are just2 but1 en attendant1 ,i never can believe that ambition can so blind one who possesses all that can render life a scene of happiness to himself and of usefulness to others1 to throw away a positive good for the uncertain and unquiet possession of a crown1 bestowed by hands that to confer the dangerous gift must have subverted a monarchy4 ,pandora's box contained not more evils than the crown of ,france would inflict on him on whose brow a revolution would place it4 ,from that hour let him bid adieu to peaceful slumber1 to domestic happiness1 to well-merited confidence and esteem1 all of which are now his own4 ,popularity1 never a stable possession in any country1 is infinitely less so in ,france1 where the vivacity of perception of the people leads them to discover grave faults where only slight errors exist1 and where a natural inconstancy1 love of change1 and a reckless impatience under aught that offends them1 prompt them to hurl down from the pedestal the idol of yesterday to replace it by the idol of to-day4 ,i hear so much good of the ,duc and ,duchesse d',o---- that ,i feel a lively interest in them1 and heartily wish they may never be elevated 7unless by the natural demise of the legitimate heirs7 to the dangerous height to which ---- and others assert they will ultimately ascend4 ,even in the contingency of a legitimate inheritance of the crown1 the ,tuileries would offer a less peaceful couch to them than they find in the blissful domestic circle at ,n----4 ,a long visit from the ,duc de ,t----4 ,i never meet him without being reminded of the truth of an observation of a ,french writer1 who says--,on a vu des gens se passer d'esprit en sachant mler la politesse avec des manires nobles et lgantes4 ,the ,duc de ,t---- passes off perfectly well without esprit1 the absence of which his noble manners perfectly conceal2 while ----1 who is so very clever1 makes one continually conscious of his want of good breeding and bon ton4 ,finished reading ,sayings and ,doings1 by ,mr4 ,theodore ,hook4 ,every page teems with wit1 humour1 or pathos1 and reveals a knowledge of the world under all the various phases of the ever-moving scene that gives a lively interest to all he writes4 ,this profound acquaintance with human life1 which stamps the impress of truth on every character portrayed by his graphic pen1 has not soured his feelings or produced that cynical disposition so frequently engendered by it4 ,mr4 ,hook is no misanthrope1 and while he exposes the ridiculous with a rare wit and humour he evinces a natural and warm sympathy with the good4 ,he is a very original thinker and writer1 hits off characters with a facility and felicity that few authors possess1 and makes them invariably act in accordance with the peculiar characteristics with which he has endowed them4 ,the vraisemblance is never for a moment violated1 which makes the reader imagine he is perusing a true narration instead of a fiction4 ,house-hunting to-day4 ,went again over the ,htel ,monaco1 but its dilapidated state somewhat alarms us4 ,the suite of reception rooms are magnificent1 but the garden into which they open pleases me still more1 for it is vast and umbrageous4 ,the line old htels in the ,faubourg ,st4-,germain1 and this is one of the finest1 give one a good idea of the splendour of the noblesse de l'ancien rgime4 ,the number and spaciousness of the apartments1 the richness of the decorations1 though no longer retaining their pristine beauty1 and above all1 the terraces and gardens1 have a grand effect4 ,,chapter ,,xix4 ,house-hunting all the day with ,lord ,b----4 ,went again over the ,htel ,monaco1 and abandoned the project of hiring it4 ,saw one house newly built and freshly and beautifully decorated1 which ,i like1 but ,lord ,b---- does not think good enough4 ,it is in the ,rue de ,matignon4 ,it is so desirable to get into a mansion where every thing is new and in good taste1 which is the case with the one in question1 that ,i hope ,lord ,b---- will be satisfied with this4 ,sat an hour with ,general d',o---- who has been unwell4 ,never was there such a nurse as his wife1 and so he said4 ,illness almost loses its irksomeness when the sick chamber is cheered by one who is as kind as she is clever4 ,madame d',o---- is glad we have not taken the ,htel ,monaco1 for she resided in it a long time when it was occupied by her mother1 and she thinks the sleeping-rooms are confined and gloomy4 ,after serious consideration and mature deliberation1 we have finally decided on taking the house in the ,rue de ,matignon4 ,it will be beautiful when completed1 but nevertheless not to be compared to the ,htel ,ney4 ,the salons de rception1 are very good1 and the decorations are rich and handsome4 ,the large salon is separated from the lesser by an immense plate of unsilvered glass1 which admits of the fireplaces in each room 7they are vis--vis7 being seen1 and has a very good effect4 ,a door on each side this large plate of glass opens into the smaller salon4 ,the portion of the house allotted to me will1 when completed1 be like fairy land4 ,a salon1 destined to contain my buhl cabinets1 porcelaine de ,svres1 and rare bijouterie1 opens into a library by two glass-doors1 and in the pier which divides them is a large mirror filling up the entire space4 ,in the library1 that opens on a terrace1 which is to be covered with a berceau1 and converted into a garden1 are two mirrors1 vis--vis to the two glass doors that communicate from the salon2 so that on entering this last1 the effect produced is exceedingly pretty4 ,another large mirror is placed at the end of the library1 and reflects the terrace4 ,when my books and various treasures are arranged in this suite ,i shall be very comfortably lodged4 ,my chambre coucher1 dressing-room1 and boudoir1 are spacious1 and beautifully decorated4 ,all this sounds well and looks well1 too1 yet we shall leave the ,rue de ,bourbon with regret1 and ,lord ,b---- now laments that we did not secure it for a long term4 ,drove in the ,bois de ,boulogne4 ,a lovely day1 which produced a very exhilarating effect on my spirits4 ,i know not whether others experience the same pleasurable sensations that ,i do on a fine day in spring1 when all nature is bursting into life1 and the air and earth look joyous4 ,my feelings become more buoyant1 my step more elastic1 and all that ,i love seem dearer than before4 ,i remember that even in childhood ,i was peculiarly sensible to atmospheric influence1 and ,i find that as ,i grow old this susceptibility does not diminish4 ,we dined at the ,rocher de ,cancale yesterday2 and ,counts ,septeuil and ,valeski composed our party4 ,the ,rocher de ,cancale is the ,greenwich of ,paris2 the oysters and various other kinds of fish served up con gusto1 attracting people to it1 as the white bait draw visitors to ,greenwich4 ,our dinner was excellent1 and our party very agreeable4 ,a dner de restaurant is pleasant from its novelty4 ,the guests seem less ceremonious and more gay2 the absence of the elegance that marks the dinner-table appointments in a maison bien monte1 gives a homeliness and heartiness to the repast2 and even the attendance of two or three ill-dressed garons hurrying about1 instead of half-a-dozen sedate servants in rich liveries1 marshalled by a solemn-looking matre-d'htel and groom of the chambers1 gives a zest to the dinner often wanted in more luxurious feasts4 ,the ,bois de ,boulogne yesterday presented one of the gayest sights imaginable as we drove through it1 for1 being ,sunday1 all the bourgeoisie of ,paris were promenading there1 and in their holyday dresses4 ,and very pretty and becoming were the said dresses1 from those of the femmes de ngociants1 composed of rich and tasteful materials1 down to those of the humble grisettes1 who1 with jaunty air and roguish eyes1 walked briskly along1 casting glances at every smart toilette they encountered1 more intent on examining the dresses than the wearers4 ,a good taste in dress seems innate in ,frenchwomen of every class1 and a confidence in their own attractions precludes the air of mauvaise honte and gaucherie so continually observable in the women of other countries1 while it is so distinct from boldness that it never offends4 ,it was pretty to see the gay dresses of varied colours fluttering beneath the delicate green foliage1 like rich flowers agitated by a more than usually brisk summer's wind1 while the foliage and the dresses are still in their pristine purity4 ,the beau monde occupied the drive in the centre1 their vehicles of every description attracting the admiration of the pedestrians1 who glanced from the well-appointed carriages1 whose owners reclined negligently back as if unwilling to be seen1 to the smart young equestrians on prancing steeds1 who caracoled past with the air half dandy and half militaire that characterises every young ,frenchman4 ,i am always struck in a crowd in ,paris with the soldier-like air of its male population2 and this air does not seem to be the result of study1 but sits as naturally on them as does the look1 half fierce1 half mocking1 that accompanies it4 ,there is something in the nature of a ,frenchman that enables him to become a soldier in less time than is usually necessary to render the natives of other countries au fait in the routine of duty1 just as he learns to dance well in a quarter of the time required to teach them to go through a simple measure4 ,the ,emperor ,napoleon quickly observed this peculiar predisposition to a military life in his subjects1 and took advantage of it to fool them to the top of their bent4 ,the victories achieved beneath his banner reflect scarcely less honour on them than on him1 and the memory of them associates his name in their hearts by the strongest bonds of sympathy that can bind a ,frenchman--the love of glory4 ,a sense of duty1 high discipline1 and true courage1 influence our soldiers in the discharge of their calling4 ,they are proud of their country and of their regiment1 for the honour of which they are ready to fight unto the death2 but a ,frenchman1 though proud of his country and his regiment1 is still more proud of his individual self1 and1 believing that all eyes are upon him acts as if his single arm could accomplish that which only soldiers en masse can achieve4 ,a pleasant party at dinner at home yesterday4 ,the ,marquis de ,mornay1 ,count ,valeski1 and ,general ,ornano1 were among the number4 ,laughed immoderately at the navet of ----1 who is irresistibly ludicrous4 ,madame ---- came in the evening and sang ,god save the ,king4 ,time was that her singing this national anthem would have electrified the hearers1 but now--4 ,alas6 alas6 that voices1 like faces1 should lose their delicate flexibility and freshness1 and seem but like the faint echo of their former brilliant tones6 ,does the ear of a singer1 like the eye of some has-been beauty1 lose its fine perception and become accustomed to the change in the voice1 as does the eye to that in the face1 to which it appertains1 from being daily in the habit of seeing the said face6 ,merciful dispensation of ,providence1 which thus saves us from the horror and dismay we must experience could we but behold ourselves as others see us1 after a lapse of years without having met2 while we1 unconscious of the sad change in ourselves1 are perfectly sensible of it in them4 ,oh1 the misery of the mezzo termine in the journey of life1 when time robs the eyes of their lustre1 the cheeks of their roses1 the mouth of its pearls1 and the heart of its gaiety1 and writes harsh sentences on brows once smooth and polished as marble6 ,well a-day6 ah1 well a-day6 ,why fleets youth so fast away1 ,taking beauty in its train1 ,never to return again8 ,well a-day6 ah1 well a-day6 ,why will health no longer stay8 ,after youth 't will not remain1 ,chased away by care and pain4 ,well a-day6 ah1 well a-day6 ,youth1 health1 beauty1 gone for aye1 ,life itself must quickly wane ,with its thoughts and wishes vain4 ,well a-day6 ah1 well a-day6 ,frail and perishable clay ,that to earth our wishes chain1 ,well it is that brief's thy reign4 ,i have been reading ,captain ,marryat's ,naval ,officer1 and think it exceedingly clever and amusing4 ,it is like himself1 full of talent1 originality1 and humour4 ,he is an accurate observer of life2 nothing escapes him2 yet there is no bitterness in his satire and no exaggeration in his comic vein4 ,he is never obliged to explain to his readers why the characters he introduces act in such or such a manner4 ,they always bear out the parts he wishes them to enact1 and the whole story goes on so naturally that one feels as if reading a narrative of facts1 instead of a work of fiction4 ,i have known ,captain ,marryat many years1 and liked him from the first2 but this circumstance1 far from rendering me more indulgent to his novel1 makes me more fastidious2 for ,i find myself at all times more disposed to criticise the writings of persons whom ,i know and like than those of strangers3 perhaps because ,i expect more from them1 if1 as in the present case1 ,i know them to be very clever4 ,dined yesterday at the ,cadran ,bleu1 and went in the evening to see ,la ,tour d',auvergne1 a piece founded on the life1 and taking its name from a soldier of the time of the ,republic4 ,a nobler character than that of ,la ,tour d',auvergne could not be selected for a dramatic hero1 and ancient times furnish posterity with no brighter example4 ,a letter from ,carnot1 then ,minister of ,war1 addressed to this distinguished soldier and admirable man1 has pleased me so much that ,i give its substance3 ,on fixing my attention on the men who reflect honour on the army1 ,i have remarked you1 citizen1 and ,i said to the ,first ,consul--',la ,tour d',auvergne ,corret1 descendant of the family of ,turenne1 has inherited its bravery and its virtues4 ,one of the oldest officers in the army1 he counts the greatest number of brilliant actions1 and all the brave name him to be the most brave4 ,as modest as he is intrepid1 he has shewn himself anxious for glory alone1 and has refused all the grades offered to him4 ,at the eastern ,pyrnes the ,general assembled all the companies of the grenadiers1 and during the remainder of the campaign gave them no chief4 ,the oldest captain was to command them1 and he was ,latour d',auvergne4 ,he obeyed1 and the corps was soon named by the enemy the ,infernal ,column4 ',one of his friends had an only son1 whose labour was necessary for the support of his father1 and this young man was included in the conscription4 ,latour d',auvergne1 broken down by fatigue1 could not labour1 but he could still fight4 ,he hastened to the army of the ,rhine2 replaced the son of his friend2 and1 during two campaigns1 with his knapsack on his hack and always in the foremost rank1 he was in every engagement1 animating the grenadiers by his discourse and by his example4 ,poor1 but proud1 he has refused the gift of an estate offered to him by the head of his family4 ,simple in his manners1 and temperate in his habits1 he lives on the limited pay of a captain4 ,highly informed1 and speaking several languages1 his erudition equals his courage4 ,we are indebted to his pen for the interesting work entitled ,les ,origines ,gauloises4 ,such rare talents and virtues appertain to the page of history1 but to the ,first ,consul belongs the right to anticipate its award4' ,the ,first ,consul1 citizen1 heard this recital with the same emotions that ,i experienced4 ,he named you instantly first grenadier of the ,republic1 and decreed you this sword of honour4 ,salut et fraternit4 ,the distinction accorded so readily to ,latour d',auvergne by the ,first ,consul1 himself a hero1 who could better than any other contemporary among his countrymen appreciate the glory he was called on by ,carnot to reward1 was refused by the gallant veteran4 ,among us soldiers1 said he1 there is neither first nor last4 ,he demanded1 as the sole recompense of his services1 to be sent to join his old brothers-in-arms1 to fight once more with them1 not as the first1 but as the oldest1 soldier of the ,republic4 ,his death was like his life1 glorious2 for he fell on the field of battle at ,neubourg1 in #ahjj1 mourned by the whole army1 who devoted a day's pay to the purchase of an urn to preserve his heart1 for a niche in the ,pantheon4 ,another distinction1 not less touching1 was accorded to his memory by the regiment in which he served4 ,the sergeant1 in calling his names in the muster of his company1 always called ,latour d',auvergne1 and the corporal answered--,mort au champ d'honneur4 ,if the history of this hero excited the warm admiration of those opposed to him in arms1 the effect of its representation on his compatriots may be more easily imagined than described4 ,nothing could exceed the enthusiasm it excited in their minds4 ,men1 women1 and children1 seemed electrified by it4 ,there is a chord in the hearts of the ,french that responds instantaneously1 and with vivid emotion1 to any appeal made to their national glory2 and this susceptibility constitutes the germ so easily fructified by those who know how to cultivate it4 ,enthusiasm1 if it sometimes leads to error1 or commits its votaries into the ridiculous1 also prompts and accomplishes the most glorious achievements2 and it is impossible not to feel a sympathy with its unsophisticated demonstrations thus evinced en masse4 ,civilization1 more than aught else1 tends to discourage enthusiasm2 and where it is pushed to the utmost degree of perfection1 there will this prompter of great deeds1 this darer of impossibilities and instigator of heroic actions1 be most rarely found4 ,drove yesterday to see the villa of the ,duchesse de ,montmorency1 which is to be let4 ,the grounds are very pretty1 and a portion of them opens by iron rails to the ,bois de ,boulogne1 which is a great advantage4 ,but neither the villa nor the grounds are to be compared to the beautiful ones in the neighbourhood of ,london1 where1 as an old ,french gentleman once observed to me1 the trees seem to take a peculiar pride and pleasure in growing4 ,i have seen nothing to be compared with the tasteful villas on green velvet lawns sloping down to the limpid ,thames1 near ,richmond1 with umbrageous trees bending their leafy branches to the earth and water2 or to the colonnaded mansions peeping forth from the well-wooded grounds of ,roehampton and its vicinage4 ,i can remember as distinctly as if beheld yesterday1 the various tempting residences that meet the eye in a morning drive1 or in a row on the silvery ,thames1 compelling the violation of the tenth commandment1 by looking so beautiful that one imagines how happily a life might glide away in such abodes1 forgetful that in no earthly abode can existence be passed free from the cares meant to remind us that this is not our abiding-place4 ,went to see ,bagatelle yesterday with the ,duchesse de ,g----4 ,here the ,duc de ,bordeaux and ,mademoiselle1 his sister1 pass much of their time4 ,it is a very pleasant villa1 and contains many proofs of the taste and industry of these very interesting children1 who are greatly beloved by those who have access to them4 ,various stories were related to us illustrative of their goodness of heart and considerate kindness for those around them2 and1 making all due allowance for the partiality of the narrators1 they went far to prove that these scions of royalty are more amiable and unspoilt than are most children of their age1 and of even far less elevated rank4 ,born in sorrow1 and nursed in tears1 the ,duc de ,bordeaux's early infancy has not passed under bright auspices2 and those are not wanting who prophesy that he may hereafter look back to the days passed at ,bagatelle as the happiest of his life4 ,it requires little of the prescience of a soothsayer to make this prediction1 when we reflect that the lives of even the most popular of those born to the dangerous inheritance of a crown must ever be more exposed to the cares that weigh so heavily1 and the responsibility that presses so continually on them1 than are those who1 exempt from the splendour of sovereignty1 escape also its toils4 ,oh happy they1 the happiest of their kind1 who enjoy1 in the peace and repose of a private station1 a competency1 good health1 a love of1 and power of indulging in1 study2 an unreproaching conscience1 and a cheerful mind6 ,with such blessings they may contemplate1 without a feeling of envy1 the more brilliant but less fortunate lots of those great ones of the earth1 whose elevation but too often serves to render them the target at which ,fortune loves aim her most envenomed darts4 ,passed the greater part of the morning in the house in the ,rue de ,matignon1 superintending the alterations and improvements to be carried into execution there4 ,it has been found necessary to build an additional room1 which the proprietor pledges himself can be ready for occupation in six weeks1 and already have its walls reached nearly to their intended height4 ,the builders seem to be as expeditious as the upholsterers at ,paris1 and adding a room or two to a mansion appears to be as easily accomplished as adding some extra furniture4 ,one is made to pay dearly1 however1 for this facility and expedition2 for rents are extravagantly high at ,paris1 as are also the prices of furniture4 ,already does the terrace begin to assume the appearance of a garden4 ,deep beds of earth inclosed in green cases line the sides1 and an abundance of orange-trees1 flowering shrubs1 plants1 and flowers1 are placed in them4 ,at the end of the terrace1 the wall which bounds it has been painted in fresco1 with a view of ,italian scenery2 and this wall forms the back of an aviary1 with a fountain that plays in the centre4 ,a smaller aviary1 constructed of glass1 is erected on the end of the terrace1 close to my library1 from the window of which ,i can feed my favourite birds2 and this aviary1 as well as the library1 is warmed by means of a stove beneath the latter4 ,the terrace is covered by a lattice-work1 formed into arched windows at the side next the court3 over the sides and roof there are trailing parasitical plants4 ,nothing in the new residence pleases me so much as this suite1 and the terrace attached to it4 ,already do we begin to feel the unsettled state peculiar to an intended change of abode1 and the prospect of entering a new one disturbs the sense of enjoyment of the old4 ,gladly would we remain where we are1 for we prefer this htel to any other at ,paris2 but the days we have to sojourn in it are numbered1 and our regret is unavailing4 ,,chapter ,,xx4 ,september1 #ahbi4--;,a chasm of many months in my journal4 ,when last ,i closed it1 little could ,i have foreseen the terrible blow that awaited me4 ,well may ,i exclaim with the ,french writer whose works ,i have been just reading1 ,nous1 qui sommes borns en tout1 comment le sommes-nous si peu quand il s'agit de souffrir4 ,how slowly has time passed since6 ,every hour counted1 and each coloured by care1 the past turned to with the vain hope of forgetting the present1 and the future no longer offering the bright prospect it once unfolded6 ,how is my destiny changed since ,i last opened this book6 ,my hopes have faded and vanished like the leaves whose opening into life ,i hailed with joy six months ago1 little dreaming that before the first cold breath of autumn had tinted them with brown1 he who saw them expand with me would have passed from the earth6 ,october4--,ill1 and confined to my chamber for several days1 my physician prescribes society to relieve low spirits2 but in the present state of mine1 the remedy seems worse than the disease4 ,my old friends ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,mathews1 and their clever son1 have arrived at ,paris and dined here yesterday4 ,mr4 ,matthews is as entertaining as ever1 and his wife as amiable and spirituelle4 ,they are excellent as well as clever people1 and their society is very agreeable4 ,charles ,mathews1 the son1 is full of talent1 possesses all his father's powers of imitation1 and sings comic songs of his own composition that ,james ,smith himself might be proud to have written4 ,the ,duc and ,duchesse de ,guiche1 the ,marquise de ,poulpry1 ,lady ,combermere1 ,madame ,craufurd1 and ,count ,valeski1 came in the evening1 and were all highly gratified with some recitations and songs given us by ,mr4 ,mathews and his son4 ,they were not less pleased with ,mrs4 ,mathews1 whose manners and conversation are peculiarly fascinating1 and whose good looks and youthfulness of appearance made them almost disbelieve that she could be the mother of a grown-up son4 ,how forcibly did the recitations and songs bring back former times to my memory1 when in ,st4 ,james's ,square1 or in his own beautiful cottage at ,highgate1 ,i have so frequently been delighted by the performances of this clever and worthy man6 ,the recollection of the past occupied me more last night than did the actual present1 and caused me to return but a faint echo to the reiterated applause which every new effort of his drew forth from the party4 ,there are moments when the present appears like a dream1 and that we think the past1 which is gone for ever1 has more of reality in it6 ,i took ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,mathews to the ,jardin des ,plantes to-day1 and was much amused by an incident that occurred there4 ,a pretty child1 with her bonne1 were seated on a bench near to which we placed ourselves4 ,she was asking questions relative to the animals she had seen1 and ,mr4 ,mathews having turned his head away from her1 gave some admirable imitations of the sounds peculiar to the beasts of which she was speaking1 and also of the voice and speeches of the person who had exhibited them4 ,never did he exert himself more to please a crowded and admiring audience than to amuse this child1 who1 maintaining an immovable gravity during the imitations1 quietly observed to her nurse1 ,ma bonne1 ce ,monsieur est bien drle4 ,the mortification of ,mr4 ,mathews on this occasion was very diverting4 ,how6 exclaimed he1 is it possible that all my efforts to amuse that child have so wholly failed8 ,she never moved a muscle6 ,i suppose the ,french children are not so easily pleased as our ,english men and women are8 ,he reverted to this disappointment more than once during our drive back1 and seemed dispirited by it4 ,nevertheless1 he gave us some most humorous imitations of the lower orders of the ,french talking loudly together1 in which he spoke in so many different voices that one could have imagined that no less than half-a-dozen people1 at least1 were engaged in the conversation4 ,i think so highly of the intellectual powers of ,mr4 ,mathews1 and find his conversation so interesting that1 admirable as are his imitations1 ,i prefer the former4 ,he has seen so much of the world in all its phases1 that he has a piquant anecdote or a clever story to relate touching every place and almost every person mentioned4 ,yet1 with all this intuitive and acquired knowledge of the world1 he possesses all the simplicity of a child1 and a good nature that never can resist an appeal to it4 ,spent all yesterday in reading1 and writing letters on business4 ,i begin to experience the ennui of having affairs to attend to1 and groan in spirit1 if not aloud1 at having to read and write dry details on the subject4 ,to unbend my mind from its painful thoughts and tension1 ,i devoted the evening to reading1 which affords me the surest relief1 by transporting my thoughts from the cares that oppress me4 ,had a long visit from my old acquaintance the ,count de ,montalembert1 to-day4 ,he is in very low spirits1 occasioned by the recent death of an only and charming daughter1 and could not restrain his deep emotion1 when recounting to me the particulars of her latter days4 ,his grief was contagious1 and found a chord in my heart that responded to it4 ,when we last met1 it was in a gay and brilliant party1 each of us in high spirits2 and now1 though but a few more years have passed over our heads1 how changed are our feelings6 ,we meet1 not to amuse and to be amused1 but to talk of those we have lost1 and whose loss has darkened our lives4 ,he spoke of his son1 who already gives the promise of distinguishing himself1 and of reflecting credit on his family4 ,how little do we know people whom we meet only in general society1 in which every one assumes a similar tone and manner1 reserving for home the peculiarities that distinguish each from the other1 and suppressing all demonstration of the feelings indulged only in the privacy of the domestic circle6 ,i have been many years acquainted with the ,count de ,montalembert1 yet never really appreciated him until today4 ,had ,i been asked to describe him yesterday1 ,i should have spoken of him as a spirituel1 lively1 and amusing man1 with remarkably good manners1 a great knowledge of the world1 and possessing in an eminent degree the tact and talent de socit4 ,had any one mentioned that he was a man of deep feeling1 ,i should have been disposed to question the discernment of the person who asserted it3 yet now ,i am as perfectly convinced of the fact as it is possible to be1 and had he paid this visit before affliction had assailed me1 he would not1 ,i am convinced1 have revealed his own grief4 ,yes1 affliction is like the divinatory wand1 whose touch discovers deep-buried springs the existence of which was previously unknown4 ---- called on me to-day1 and talked a good deal of ----4 ,i endeavoured to excite sympathy for the unhappy person1 but failed in the attempt4 ,the unfortunate generally meet with more blame than pity2 for as the latter is a painful emotion1 people endeavour to exonerate themselves from its indulgence1 by trying to discover some error which may have led to the misfortune they are too selfish to commiserate4 ,alas6 there are but few friends who1 like ivy1 cling to ruin1 and ---- is not one of these4 ,the ,prince and ,princesse ,soutzo dined with us yesterday4 ,they are as amiable and agreeable as ever1 and ,i felt great gratification in meeting them again4 ,we talked over the many pleasant days we passed together at ,pisa4 ,alas6 how changed is my domestic circle since then6 ,they missed one who would have joined me in welcoming them to ,paris1 and whose unvaried kindness they have not forgotten6 ,the decent dignity with which this interesting couple support their altered fortunes1 won my esteem on our first acquaintance4 ,prince ,soutzo was ,hospodar1 or reigning ,prince of ,moldavia1 and married the eldest daughter of ,prince ,carraga1 ,hospodar of ,walachia4 ,he maintained the state attendant on his high rank1 beloved and respected by those he governed1 until the patriotic sentiments inseparable from a great mind induced him to sacrifice rank1 fortune1 and power1 to the cause of ,greece1 his native land4 ,he only saved his life by flight2 for the angry ,sultan with whom he had previously been a great favourite1 had already sent an order for his decapitation6 ,never was a reverse of fortune borne with greater equanimity than by this charming family1 whose virtues1 endowments1 and acquirements1 fit them for the most elevated station4 ,my old acquaintances1 ,mr4 ,rogers the poet1 and ,mr4 ,luttrell1 called on me to-day4 ,of how many pleasant days in ,st4 ,james's ,square did the sight of both remind me6 ,such days ,i shall pass there no more3 but ,i must not give way to reflections that are1 alas6 as unavailing as they are painful4 ,both of these my old friends are unchanged4 ,time has dealt gently by them during the seven years that have elapsed since we last met3 the restless tyrant has been less merciful to me4 ,we may1 however1 bear with equanimity the ravages of ,time1 if we meet the destroyer side by side with those dear to us1 those who have witnessed our youth and maturity1 and who have advanced with us into the autumn of life2 but1 when they are lost to us1 how dreary becomes the prospect6 ,how difficult it is to prevent the mind from dwelling on thoughts fraught with sadness1 when once the chord of memory vibrates to the touch of grief6 ,mr4 ,rogers talked of ,byron1 and evinced a deep feeling of regard for his memory1 ,he little knows the manner in which he is treated in a certain poem1 written by him in one of his angry moods1 and which ,i urged him1 but in vain1 to commit to the flames4 ,the knowledge of it1 however1 would1 ,i am convinced1 excite no wrath in the heart of ,rogers1 who would feel more sorrow than anger that one he believed his friend could have written so bitter a diatribe against him4 ,and1 truth to say1 the poem in question is more injurious to the memory of ,byron than it could be painful to him who is the subject of it2 but ,i hope that it may never be published1 and ,i think no one who had delicacy or feeling would bring it to light4 ,byron read this lampoon to us one day at ,genoa1 and enjoyed our dismay at it like a froward boy who has achieved what he considers some mischievous prank4 ,he offered us a copy1 but we declined to accept it2 for1 being in the habit of seeing ,mr4 ,rogers frequently beneath our roof1 we thought it would be treacherous to him4 ,byron1 however1 found others less scrupulous1 and three or four copies of it have been given away4 ,the love of mischief was strong in the heart of ,byron even to the last1 but1 while recklessly indulging it in trifles1 he was capable of giving proofs of exalted friendship to those against whom he practised it2 and1 had ,rogers stood in need of kindness1 he would have found no lack of it in his brother poet1 even in the very hour he had penned the malicious lampoon in question against him4 ,comte d',orsay1 with his frank navet1 observed1 ,i thought you were one of ,mr4 ,rogers's most intimate friends1 and so all the world had reason to think1 after reading your dedication of the ,giaour to him4 ,yes1 answered ,byron1 laughing1 and it is our friendship that gives me the privilege of taking a liberty with him4 ,if it is thus you evince your friendship1 replied ,comte d',orsay1 ,i should be disposed to prefer your enmity4 ,you1 said ,byron1 could never excite this last sentiment in my breast1 for you neither say nor do spiteful things4 ,brief as was the period ,byron had lived in what is termed fashionable society in ,london1 it was long enough to have engendered in him a habit of persiflage1 and a love of uttering sarcasms1 7more from a desire of displaying wit than from malice17 peculiar to that circle in which1 if every man's hand is not against his associates1 every man's tongue is4 ,he drew no line of demarcation between uttering and writing satirical things2 and the first being1 if not sanctioned1 at least permitted in the society in which he had lived in ,london1 he considered himself not more culpable in inditing his satires than the others were in speaking them4 ,he would have laughed at being censured for putting on paper the epigrammatic malice that his former associates would delight in uttering before all except the person at whom it was aimed2 yet the world see the matter in another point of view1 and many of those who speak as much evil of their soi-disant friends1 would declare1 if not feel1 themselves shocked at ,byron's writing it4 ,i know no more agreeable member of society than ,mr4 ,luttrell4 ,his conversation1 like a limpid stream1 flows smoothly and brightly along1 revealing the depths beneath its current1 now sparkling over the objects it discloses or reflecting those by which it glides4 ,he never talks for talking's sake2 but his mind is so well filled that1 like a fountain which when stirred sends up from its bosom sparkling showers1 his mind1 when excited1 sends forth thoughts no less bright than profound1 revealing the treasures with which it is so richly stored4 ,the conversation of ,mr4 ,luttrell makes me think1 while that of many others only amuses me4 ,lord ,john ,russell has arrived at ,paris1 and sat with me a considerable time to-day4 ,how very agreeable he can be when his reserve wears off1 and what a pity it is he should ever allow it to veil the many fine qualities he possesses6 ,few men have a finer taste in literature1 or a more highly cultivated mind4 ,it seizes with rapidity whatever is brought before it2 and being wholly free from passion or egotism1 the views he takes on all subjects are just and unprejudiced4 ,he has a quick perception of the ridiculous1 and possesses a fund of dry caustic humour that might render him a very dangerous opponent in a debate1 were it not governed by a good breeding and a calmness that never forsake him4 ,lord ,john ,russell is precisely the person calculated to fill a high official situation4 ,well informed on all subjects1 with an ardent love of his country1 and an anxious desire to serve it1 he has a sobriety of judgment and a strictness of principle that will for ever place him beyond the reach of suspicion1 even to the most prejudiced of his political adversaries4 ,the reserve complained of by those who are only superficially acquainted with him1 would be highly advantageous to a minister2 for it would not only preserve him from the approaches to familiarity1 so injurious to men in power1 but would discourage the hopes founded on the facility of manner of those whose very smiles and simple acts of politeness are by the many looked on as an encouragement to form the most unreasonable ones1 and as an excuse for the indulgence of angry feelings when those unreasonable hopes are frustrated4 ,lord ,john ,russell1 ,mr4 ,rogers1 ,mr4 ,luttrell1 ,monsieur ,thiers1 ,monsieur ,mignet1 and ,mr4 ,poulett ,thomson1 dined here yesterday4 ,the party was an agreeable one1 and the guests seemed mutually pleased with each other4 ,monsieur ,thiers is a very remarkable person--quick1 animated1 and observant3 nothing escapes him1 and his remarks are indicative of a mind of great power4 ,i enjoy listening to his conversation1 which is at once full of originality1 yet free from the slightest shade of eccentricity4 ,monsieur ,mignet1 who is the inseparable friend of ,monsieur ,thiers1 reminds me every time ,i see him of ,byron1 for there is a striking likeness in the countenance4 ,with great abilities1 ,monsieur ,mignet gives me the notion of being more fitted to a life of philosophical research and contemplation than of action1 while ,monsieur ,thiers impresses me with the conviction of his being formed to fill a busy and conspicuous part in the drama of life4 ,he is a sort of modern ,prometheus1 capable of creating and of vivifying with the electric spark of mind2 but1 whether he would steal the fire from ,heaven1 or a less elevated region1 ,i am not prepared to say4 ,he has called into life a body--and a vast one--by his vigorous writings1 and has infused into it a spirit that will not be soon or easily quelled4 ,whether that spirit will tend to the advancement of his country or not1 time will prove2 but1 en attendant1 its ebullitions may occasion as much trouble to the powers that be as did the spirit engendered by ,mirabeau in a former reign4 ,the countenance of ,monsieur ,thiers is remarkable4 ,the eyes1 even through his spectacles1 flash with intelligence1 and the expression of his face varies with every sentiment he utters4 ,thiers is a man to effect a revolution1 and ,mignet would be the historian to narrate it4 ,there is something very interesting in the unbroken friendship of these two men of genius1 and its constancy elevates both in my estimation4 ,they are not more unlike than are their respective works1 both of which1 though so dissimilar1 are admirable in their way4 ,the mobility and extreme excitability of the ,french1 render such men as ,monsieur ,thiers extremely dangerous to monarchical power4 ,his genius1 his eloquence1 and his boldness1 furnish him with the means of exciting the enthusiasm of his countrymen as surely as a torch applied to gunpowder produces an explosion4 ,in ,england these qualities1 however elevated1 would fail to produce similar results2 for enthusiasm is there little known1 and1 when it comes forth1 satisfies itself with a brief manifestation1 and swiftly resigns itself to the prudent jurisdiction of reason4 ,napoleon himself1 with all the glory associated with his name--a glory that intoxicated the ,french--would have failed to inebriate the sober-minded ,english4 ,through my acquaintance with the ,baron de ,cailleux1 who is at the head of the ,muse1 ,i obtained permission to take ,lord ,john ,russell1 ,mr4 ,rogers1 and ,mr4 ,luttrell1 to the galleries of the ,louvre yesterday1 it being a day on which the public are excluded4 ,the ,baron received us1 did the honours of the ,muse with all the intelligence and urbanity that distinguish him1 and made as favourable an impression on my countrymen as they seemed to have produced on him4 ,rogers has a pure taste in the fine arts1 and has cultivated it con amore2 ,luttrell brings to the study a practised eye and a matured judgment2 but ,lord ,john1 nurtured from infancy in dwellings1 the walls of which glow with the chefs-d'oeuvre of the old masters and the best works of the modern ones1 possesses an exquisite tact in recognizing at a glance the finest points in a picture1 and reasons on them with all the savoir of a connoisseur and the feeling of an amateur4 ,it is a pleasant thing to view collections of art with those fully capable of appreciating them1 and ,i enjoyed this satisfaction yesterday4 ,the ,baron de ,cailleux evinced no little pleasure in conducting my companions from one masterpiece to another1 and two or three hours passed away rapidly in the interesting study4 ,the ,marquis and ,marquise de ,b----1 ,comte ,v----1 and some others1 dined here yesterday4 ,the ,marquise de ,b---- is very clever1 has agreeable manners1 knows the world thoroughly1 and neither under nor overvalues it4 ,a constant friction with society1 while it smoothes down asperities and polishes manners1 is apt to impair if not destroy much of the originality and raciness peculiar to clever people4 ,to suit themselves to the ordinary level of society1 they become either insipid or satirical2 they mix too much water1 or apply cayenne pepper to the wine of their conversation3 hence that mind which1 apart from the artificial atmosphere of the busy world1 might have grown into strength and beauty1 becomes like some poor child nurtured in the unhealthy precincts of a dense and crowded city1--diseased1 stunted1 rickety1 and incapable of distinguishing itself from its fellows4 ,as clever people cannot elevate the mass with which they herd to their own level1 they are apt to sink to theirs2 and persons with talents that might have served for nobler purposes are suffered to degenerate into diseurs de bons mots and raconteurs de socit1 content with the paltry distinction of being considered amusing4 ,how many such have ,i encountered1 satisfied with being pigmies1 who might have grown to be giants1 but who were consoled by the reflection that in that world in which their sole aim is to shine1 pigmies are more tolerated than giants1 as people prefer looking down to looking up6 ,lord ,allen and ,sir ,andrew ,barnard dined here yesterday4 ,they appear to enter into the gaiety of ,paris with great zest1 go the round of the theatres1 dine at all the celebrated restaurateurs1 mix enough in the beau monde to be enabled to observe the difference between the ,parisian and ,london one1 and will1 at the expiration of the term assigned to their sjour here1 return to ,england well satisfied with their trip and with themselves4 ,lord ,a---- has tasted all the nouveaux plats la mode1 for at ,paris new dishes are as frequently invented as new bonnets or caps2 and the proficiency in the culinary art which he has acquired will render him an oracle at his clubs1 until the more recent arrival of some other epicurean from the ,french capital deposes his brief sovereignty4 ,but it is not in the culinary art alone that ,lord ,allen evinces his good taste1 for no one is a better judge of all that constitutes the agrmens of life1 or more au fait of the 99 omitted word8 of contributing to them4 ,sir ,a4 ,b----1 as devoted as ever to music1 has heard all the new1 and finds that the old1 like old friends1 loses nothing by comparison4 ,it is pleasant to see that the advance of years impairs not the taste for a refined and innocent pleasure4 ,,chapter ,,xxi4 ,mr4 ,rogers and ,mr4 ,luttrell spent last evening here4 ,the minds of both teem with reflection1 and their conversation is a high intellectual treat to me4 ,there is a repose in the society of clever and refined ,englishmen to be met with in no other3 the absence of all attempts to shine1 or at least of the evidence of such attempts2 the mildness of the manners2 the low voices1 the freedom from any flattery1 except the most delicate and acceptable of all to a fastidious person1 namely1 that implied by the subjects of conversation chosen1 and the interest yielded to them2--yes1 these peculiarities have a great charm for me1 and ,mr4 ,rogers and ,mr4 ,luttrell possess them in an eminent degree4 ,the mercurial temperaments of the ,french preclude them from this calmness of manner and mildness of speech4 ,more obsequiously polite and attentive to women1 the exuberance of their animal spirits often hurries them into a gaiety evinced by brilliant sallies and clever observations4 ,they shine1 but they let the desire to do so be too evident to admit of that quietude that forms one of the most agreeable1 as well as distinguishing1 attributes of the conversation of a refined and highly-intellectual ,englishman4 ---- and ---- spent last evening here4 ,two more opposite characters could not easily have encountered4 ,one influenced wholly by his feelings1 the other by his reason1 each seemed to form a low estimate of the other2 and this1 malgr all the restraint imposed by good breeding1 was but too visible4 ,neither has any cause to be vain1 for he becomes a dupe who judges with his heart instead of his head1 and an egotist who permits not his heart to be touched by the toleration of his head4 ---- is often duped1 but sometimes liked for his good nature2 while ----1 if never duped1 is never liked4 ,i took ,lord ,john ,russell1 ,mr4 ,rogers1 and ,mr4 ,luttrell yesterday to ,la ,muette to see ,m4 ,erard's fine collection of pictures1 with which they were very much pleased4 ,our drive to the ,bois de ,boulogne was a very agreeable one1 and was rendered so by their pleasant conversation4 ,i have presented ,mr4 ,rogers with some acquisitions for his cabinet of antique bijouterie1 with which he appears delighted4 ,i outbid ,m4 ,millingen1 who was bargaining at ,naples for these little treasures1 and secured a diminutive ,cupid1 a ,bacchus1 and a small bunch of grapes of pure gold1 and of exquisite workmanship1 which will now be transferred to the museum of my friend1 ,mr4 ,rogers4 ,he will not1 ,i dare say1 be more grateful for the gift of my ,cupid than his sex generally are when ladies no longer young bestow their love on them1 and so ,i hinted when giving him the little winged god2 but1 n'importe1 the gift may please1 though the giver be forgotten4 ,lord ,pembroke dined here yesterday1 he is peculiarly well-bred and gentlemanlike1 and looks a nobleman from top to toe4 ,he has acquired all the polish and savoir-vivre of the best foreign society without having lost any of the more solid and fine qualities peculiar to the most distinguished portion of his countrymen4 ,lord ,pembroke maintains the reputation of ,english taste in equipages by sporting horses and carriages that excite the admiration1 if not the envy1 of the ,parisians1 among whom he is1 and deserves to be1 very popular4 ,the ,duke of ,hamilton paid me a long visit to-day4 ,we talked over old times1 and our mutual friend ,dr4 ,parr1 in whose society we formerly passed such agreeable hours in ,st4 ,james's ,square4 ,the ,duke is a very well-informed man1 has read much1 and remembers what he has read2 and the ceremoniousness of his manners1 with which some people find fault1 ,i have got used to1 and rather like than otherwise4 ,the mixture of chivalric sentiments1 ,scotch philosophy1 and high breeding of the old ,french school which meet in the ,duke1 render his conversation very piquant4 ,he has1 indeed1 the dignity of his three dukedoms2 the fiert of that of ,chatelherault1 the reserve of that of ,england1 and the spirit of that of ,scotland3 witness his dignified reproof to the ,duc de ,blacas at ,rome1 when that very unpopular personage1 then ,ambassador from the court of ,france1 presumed to comment on the frequency of the ,duke of ,hamilton's visits to the ,princess ,pauline ,borghese1 who1 being a ,buonaparte1 was looked on with a jealous eye by ,blacas4 ,monsieur ,mignet spent last evening here4 ,the more ,i see of him the more ,i am pleased with his society4 ,to a mind stored with knowledge he joins a happy facility of bringing forth its treasures1 never as if ostentatious of his wealth1 but in illustration of any topic that is discussed1 on which he brings it to bear most aptly and appropriately4 ,his countenance lights up with expression when he converses1 and adds force to an eloquence always interesting and often instructive4 ,though ,monsieur ,mignet shines in monologue more than in dialogue1 there is nothing either dictatorial or pedantic in his manner1 he utters opinions new and original1 which it is evident he has deeply reflected on1 and elucidates them to the comprehension of his auditors with great felicity4 ,i like listening to the conversation of such a man2 and clever people1 when they find an attentive listener1 are incited to talk well4 ,in general society1 in which many persons of totally opposite tastes1 pursuits1 and opinions1 are thrown together1 a clever man has seldom an opportunity of bringing forth the treasures of his mind4 ,he can only dispense the small coin1 which is easily changed with those he comes in contact with2 but the weighty and valuable1 metal is not brought into use1 because he knows the greater number of those1 around him could give him no equivalent in exchange4 ----1 conversing with ,lady ---- to-day1 she observed that in early life conscience has less influence than in advanced life1 and accounted for it by the nearer approach to death rendering people more alarmed1 and consequently more disposed to listen to it4 ,some persons attribute all good impulses to fear1 as if mortals were more governed by its influence than by that of love and gratitude4 ,if conscience is less frequently heard in youth1 it is that the tumultuous throbbing of the heart1 and the wild suggestions of the passions1 prevent its still small voice from being audible2 but in the decline of life1 when the heart beats languidly and the passions slumber1 it makes itself heard1 and on its whispers depends our happiness or misery4 ,my old acquaintance1 ,lord ,palmerston1 has arrived at ,paris1 and dined here yesterday1 to meet the ,duc and ,duchesse de ,guiche1 ,count ,valeski1 and ,mr4 ,poulett ,thomson4 ,seven years have produced no change in ,lord ,palmerston4 ,he is the same intelligent1 sensible1 and agreeable person that ,i remember him to have been for many years4 ,lord ,palmerston has much more ability than people are disposed to give him credit for4 ,he is1 or used to be1 when ,i lived in ,england1 considered a good man of business1 acute in the details1 and quick in the comprehension of complicated questions4 ,even this is no mean praise1 but ,i think him entitled to more2 for1 though constantly and busily occupied with official duties1 he has contrived to find time to read every thing worth reading1 and to make himself acquainted with the politics of other countries4 ,lively1 well-bred1 and unaffected1 ,lord ,palmerston is a man that is so well acquainted with the routine of official duties1 performs them so readily and pleasantly1 and is so free from the assumption of self-importance that too frequently appertains to adepts in them1 that1 whether ,whig or ,tory government has the ascendant in ,england1 his services will be always considered a desideratum to be secured if possible4 ,lord ,castlereagh1 ,mr4 ,cutlar ,fergusson1 and ,count ,valeski dined here yesterday4 ,lord ,c4 has just arrived from ,england1 and is a good specimen of the young men of the present day4 ,he reminds me of his uncle1 the late ,marquess of ,londonderry1 one of the most amiable and well-bred men ,i ever knew4 ,lord ,c---- is very animated and piquant in conversation1 thinks for himself1 and says what he thinks with a frankness not often met with in our times4 ,yet there is no brusquerie in his manners2 au contraire1 they are soft and very pleasing2 and this contrast between the originality and fearlessness of his opinions1 and the perfect good-breeding with which they are expressed1 lend a peculiar attraction to his manner4 ,if ,lord ,c---- were not a man of fashion he would become something vastly better1 for he has much of the chivalrous spirit of his father and the tact of his uncle4 ,fashion is the gulf in whose vortex so many fine natures are wrecked in ,england2 what a pity it is that they cannot be rescued from its dangers6 ,mr4 ,cutlar ,fergusson is a clever and amiable man1 mild1 well-informed1 and agreeable4 ,the ,baron and ,baroness de ,ruysch spent yesterday with us4 ,they are an estimable couple1 and very pleasant withal4 ,his philosophy1 which has nothing of the ascetic in it1 harmonises very well with her vivacity1 and her sprightliness never degenerates into levity4 ,it is the gaiety of a mind at ease1 pleased with others1 and content with self4 ,how unlike the exuberant spirits of ----1 which always depress mine more than a day's tte--tte with the moodiest hypochondriac could do6 ,nothing can be more dreary and cheerless than the weather2 and a second winter's residence at ,paris has convinced me that ,london is infinitely preferable at this season1 except to those who consider gaiety an equivalent for comfort4 ,the negligence and bad management of the persons whose duty it is to remove the snow or mud from the streets1 render them not only nearly impassable for pedestrians but exceedingly disagreeable to those who have carriages4 ,previously to the heavy fall of snow that occurred a week ago1 and which still encumbers the streets1 a succession of wet days occasioned an accumulation of mud that gave forth most unsavoury odours1 and lent a damp chilliness to the atmosphere which sent home to their sick chambers1 assailed by sore throats and all the other miseries peculiar to colds1 many of those who were so imprudent as to venture abroad4 ,the snow1 instead of being swept away1 is piled up on each side of the streets1 forming a wall that increases the gloom and chilliness that reigns around4 ,the fogs1 too1 rise from the ,seine1 and hover over the ,champs-,elyses and streets adjacent to it1 rendering a passage through them a service of danger4 ,lord ,castlereagh and ,madame ,grassini dined here last evening4 ,he was much amused with the raciness and originality of her remarks2 and she was greatly gratified by the polite attention with which he listened to them4 ,at one moment1 she pronounced him to be la vraie image de ce cher et bon ,lord ,castlereagh1 whom she had so much liked2 and the next she declared him to be exactly like ce preux chevalier1 son pre1 who was so irresistible that no female heart1 or1 as she said1 at least no ,italian female heart1 could resist him4 ,then she spoke of ce cher et excellent ,duc de ,wellington1 who had been so kind to her1 asked a thousand questions about him1 the tears starting into her brilliant eyes as she dwelt on the reminiscences of those days when1 considered the finest singer and most beautiful woman of her time1 she received a homage accorded to her beauty and talent never since so universally decreed to any other prima donna4 ,the ,grassini cannot be known without being liked1 she is so warm-hearted1 unaffected1 and sincere4 ,the prettiest sight imaginable was a party of our friends in sledges1 who yesterday passed through the streets4 ,this was the first time ,i had ever seen this mode of conveyance1 and nothing can be more picturesque4 ,the sledge of the ,duc de ,guiche1 in which reclined the ,duchesse1 the ,duc seated behind her and holding1 at each side of her1 the reins of the horse1 presented the form of a swan1 the feathers beautifully sculptured4 ,the back of this colossal swan being hollowed out1 admitted a seat1 which1 with the whole of the interior1 was covered with fine fur4 ,the harness and trappings of the superb horse that drew it were richly decorated1 and innumerable silver bells were attached to it1 the sound of which was pleasant to the ear4 ,the ,duchesse1 wrapped in a pelisse of the finest ,russian sable1 never looked handsomer than in her sledge1 her fair cheeks tinged with a bright pink by the cold air1 and her luxuriant silken curls falling on the dark fur that encircled her throat4 ,count ,a4 d',orsay's sledge presented the form of a dragon1 and the accoutrements and horse were beautiful2 the harness was of red morocco1 embroidered with gold4 ,the ,prince ,poniatowski and ,comte ,valeski followed in sledges of the ordinary ,russian shape1 and the whole cavalcade had a most picturesque effect4 ,the ,parisians appeared to be highly delighted with the sight1 and1 above all1 with the beautiful ,duchesse borne along through the snow in her swan4 ,my medical adviser pressed me so much to accede to the wishes of my friends and try the salutary effect of a drive in a sledge1 that ,i yesterday accompanied them to ,st4-,cloud1 where we dined1 and returned at night by torch-light4 ,picturesque as is the appearance of the sledges by day-light1 it is infinitely more so by night1 particularly of those that have the form of animals or birds4 ,the swan of the ,duchesse de ,guiche had bright lamps in its eyes1 which sent forth a clear light that was reflected in prismatic colours on the drifted snow1 and ice-gemmed branches of the trees1 as we drove through the ,bois de ,boulogne4 ,grooms1 bearing lighted torches1 preceded each sledge2 and the sound of the bells in the ,bois1 silent and deserted at that hour1 made one fancy one's self transported to some far northern region4 ,the dragon of ,comte ,a4 d',orsay looked strangely fantastic at night4 ,in the mouth1 as well as the eyes1 was a brilliant red light2 and to a tiger-skin covering1 that nearly concealed the cream-coloured horse1 revealing only the white mane and tail1 was attached a double line of silver gilt bells1 the jingle of which was very musical and cheerful4 ,the shadows of the tall trees falling on an immense plain of snow1 the light flashing in fitful gleams from the torches and lamps as we were hurried rapidly along1 looked strange and unearthly1 and reminded me of some of the scenes described in those northern fictions perused in the happy days of childhood4 ,this excursion and exposure to the wintry air procured me a good night's sleep1--the first enjoyed since the severity of the weather has deprived me of my usual exercise4 ,this revival of an old fashion 7for in former days sledges were considered as indispensable in the winter remise of a grand seigneur in ,france as cabriolets or britchkas are in the summer7 has greatly pleased the ,parisian world1 and crowds flock to see them as they pass along4 ,the velocity of the movement1 the gaiety of the sound of the bells1 and the cold bracing air1 have a very exhilarating effect on the spirits4 ,met the ,prince ,polignac at the ,duchesse de ,g----'s today4 ,his countenance is remarkably good1 his air and manner trs-distingu1 and his conversation precisely what might be expected from an ,english gentleman--mild1 reasonable1 and unaffected4 ,if ,i had not previously known him to be one or the most amiable men in the world1 ,i should have soon formed this judgment of him1 for every expression of his countenance1 and every word he utters1 give this impression4 ,the ,prince ,polignac has lived much in ,england1 and seems to me to be formed to live there1 for his tastes are decidedly ,english4 ,twice married1 both his wives were ,english2 so that it is no wonder that he has adopted much of our modes of thinking4 ,highly as ,i am disposed to estimate him1 ,i do not think that he is precisely the person calculated to cope with the difficulties that must beset a minister1 and1 above all1 a minister in ,france1 in times like the present4 ,the very qualities that render him so beloved in private life1 and which make his domestic circle one of the happiest in the world1 are perhaps those which unfit him for so trying a post as the one he is now called on to hold--a post requiring abilities so various1 and qualifications so manifold1 that few1 if any1 could be found to possess the rare union4 ,a spirit is rife in ,france that renders the position of premier in it almost untenable2 and he must unite the firmness of a stoic1 the knowledge of a ,machiavelli1 and the boldness of a ,napoleon1 who could hope to stem the tide that menaces to set in and sweep away the present institutions4 ,if honesty of intention1 loyalty to his sovereign1 personal courage1 attachment to his country1 and perfect disinterestedness could secure success1 then might ,prince ,polignac expect it4 ,,chapter ,,xxii4 ,may4--,some months have elapsed since ,i noted down a line in this book4 ,indisposition and its usual attendants1 languor and lassitude1 have caused me to throw it by4 ,time that once rolled as pleasantly as rapidly along1 seems now to pace as slowly as sadly2 and even the approach of spring1 that joyous season never before unwelcomed1 now awakens only painful recollections4 ,who can see the trees putting forth their leaves without a dread that1 ere they have yet expanded into their full growth1 some one may be snatched away who with us hailed their first opening verdure8 ,when once ,death has invaded our hearths and torn from us some dear object on whose existence our happiness depended1 we lose all the confidence previously fondly and foolishly experienced in the stability of the blessings we enjoy1 and not only deeply mourn those lost1 but tremble for those yet spared to us4 ,i once thought that ,i could never behold this genial season without pleasure2 alas6 it now occasions only gloom4 ,captain ,william ,anson1 the brother of ,lord ,anson1 dined here yesterday4 ,he is a very remarkable young man2 highly distinguished in his profession1 being considered one of the best officers in the navy1 and possessing all the accomplishments of a finished gentleman4 ,his reading has been extensive1 and his memory is very retentive4 ,he has been in most quarters of the globe1 and has missed no opportunity of cultivating his mind and of increasing his stock of knowledge4 ,he is1 indeed1 a worthy descendant of his great ancestor1 who might well be proud of such a scion to the ancient stock4 ,devoted to the arduous duties of his profession1 he studies every amelioration in it con amore2 and1 if a long life be granted to him1 will prove one of its brightest ornaments4 ,the ,marquis and ,marquise de ,b---- spent last evening here1 and several people dropped in4 ,among them was the pretty ,madame de la ,h----1 as piquant and lively as ever1 as content with herself 7and she has reason to be so1 being very good-looking and amusing7 and as careless of the suffrages of others4 ,i like the young and the gay of my own sex1 though ,i am no longer either4 ,prince ,paul ,lieven and ,captain ,cadogan#h dined here yesterday4 ,the first is as spirituel and clever as formerly1 and the second is as frank1 high-spirited1 and well-bred--the very beau idal of a son of the sea1 possessing all the attributes of that generous race1 joined to all those said to be peculiar to the high-born and well-educated4 ,i like the conversation of such men--men who1 nursed in the lap of luxury1 are sent from the noble dwellings of their sires to be cabined1 cribbed1 confined1 in 7to my thinking7 the most unbearable of all prisons--a ship2 pass months and years exposed to hardships1 privations1 and dangers1 from the endurance of which even the poor and lowly born often shrink1 and bring back to society the high breeding and urbanity not to be surpassed in those whose lots have been exempt from such trials2 and1 what is still more precious1 the experience and reflection acquired in their perilous profession1 and in the many hours of solitude and anxiety that appertain to it4 ,sat a considerable time with the ,duchesse de ,guiche today4 ,how amiable and kind-hearted she is1 and how unspoilt by all the brilliancy of her position6 ,while ,i was there the mother and son of a young page1 for whom the ,duc and ,duchesse have obtained that office at court1 came to thank her4 ,the boy is a very fine youth1 and the mother and sister seem to dote on him4 ,they reminded me of the mother and sister that a sentimental writer would have created for the occasion1 being exceedingly interesting in their appearance and manner4 ,the boy was evidently as fond and proud of them as they were of him1 and the group formed a charming picture4 ,the warmth and gentleness of the manners of the ,duchesse de ,g----1 and the remarkable beauty of her face and figure1 never appeared more captivating in my eyes than when ,i beheld her to-day1 evincing such good nature to the youthful page and his mother and sister2 and ,i saw by their eyes1 when they took leave of her1 that she sent away grateful hearts4 ,july #ahcj4--;,indisposition has interrupted my journal for several weeks1 and idleness has prolonged the chasm4 ,the noting down the daily recurrence of uninteresting events is as dull as the endurance of them4 ,if reports may be credited1 we are on the eve of some popular commotion in ,france1 and the present ministers are said to be either ignorant of the danger that menaces1 or unprepared to meet it4 ,the conquest of ,algiers has produced much less exultation in the people than might have naturally been expected2 and this indifference to an event calculated to gratify the amour-propre which forms so peculiar a characteristic of the nation1 is considered a bad sign by those who affect to be acquainted with the people4 ,i have so often heard rumours of discontent and revolts that ,i have grown incredulous1 and ,i think and hope the ,french are too wise to try any dangerous experiments4 #bfth ,july4--,this morning ,general ,e---- came to breakfast with us1 and announced that the ordonnances were yesterday signed in council at ,st4- ,cloud4 ,this good man and brave soldier expressed the liveliest regret at this rash measure1 and the utmost alarm at the consequences likely to result from it4 ,is ,charles the ,tenth ignorant of the actual state of things in ,paris1 and of the power of public opinion8 or does he hope to vanquish the resistance likely to be offered to this act8 ,i hope his majesty may not acquire this knowledge when it has become too late to derive advantage from it4 ,the unpopularity of the present ministry1 and above all of its leader1 the ,prince ,polignac1 is surprising1 when one considers how estimable his private character is1 and that theirs are irreproachable4 ,they are rendered responsible for the will of the sovereign1 who1 if report speak truth1 is very pertinacious in exacting a rigid fulfilment of it whenever it is exercised4 ,the present are not times to try experiments how far the will of a monarch can be pushed2 and it is not in ,france1 as in ,england1 where our law supposes that a king can do no wrong1 for the ,french are prone to pay no more respect to sovereigns than to their supposed advisers1 and both may suffer a heavy penalty for incurring the dislike of the people4 ,the prosperity of ,france1 which is acknowledged by all1 has failed to silence the murmurs of discontent which1 loud and deep1 are heard every where save in the palace1--too frequently the last place where public opinion gets an impartial hearing4 ,the success of the ,algerine expedition has buoyed up the confidence of the ministry in their own strength2 but1 if ,i may credit what ,i hear1 it has by no means really added to it4 ,concessions too long delayed come with a bad grace when at length extorted1 and the change of ministry factiously demanded1 even if complied with1 would have placed the sovereign in any thing but a dignified position4 ,the dissolution of the ,chambers in ,march1 after a session of only ten days1 might be considered as a demonstration of discontent on the part of the monarch1 as well as a want of power of quelling the spirit that evoked it4 ,a circumstance1 trivial in itself1 added to this unpopularity1 which was1 that several of the deputies were on their route to ,paris when the unexpected intelligence of the dissolution reached them1 and they could not pardon the expense to which they had been put by this unnecessary frais de route1 their places in the diligence being paid for4 ,how frequently do trifles exercise a powerful influence over grave affairs6 ,the portion of the public press that advocates the defence of the government is even more injudicious than that which assails it2 and the monarchy has decidedly suffered in general opinion by the angry excitement produced by the recrimination of both parties4 ,the prosecutions entered into against the editors of the liberal papers are considered by the party to which they belong to be persecutions2 and the sentiments avowed by the ,gazette de ,france are received as those of not only the government but of the sovereign4 ,the discussions occasioned by these prosecutions1 as well as by the principles of monarchical absolutism maintained by the adverse party1 have greatly extended the ranks of the liberals1 who1 looking on the editors who expound or promulgate their opinions as martyrs1 become more exasperated against their opponents1 and more reckless in the modes likely to be adopted for marking their disapprobation4 #bgth4--,on returning from a late drive last night we passed near the htel of the ,minister des ,finances1 around which some fifty or sixty persons1 chiefly youths1 were assembled1 crying out ,vive la charte6 ,a bas les ministres6 ,a patrol passed close to these persons1 but made no attempt to disperse them1 which ,i think was rather unwise1 for1 encouraged by this impunity1 their numbers1 ,i am told1 increased rapidly4 ,i have just heard that the post of gendarmes was tripled this morning1 and that a crowd of persons have assembled around the htel of the ,prince ,polignac1 where a cabinet council was held4 ,it is said that the ministers were insulted as they entered4 ,this looks ill2 nevertheless1 ,i trust that it is nothing more than a demonstration of the spirit that is rife in the people1 and that no more violent ones will be resorted to4 ,the visitors ,i have seen to-day seem much alarmed4 ,the ,duc de ,guiche set off for ,st4-,cloud yesterday morning1 the moment he had read the ordonnances4 ,had his counsel been listened to1 they would never have been promulgated2 for he is one of the few who1 with a freedom from prejudice that enables him to judge dispassionately of the actual state of public opinion1 has the moral courage to declare the truth to his sovereign1 however unpalatable that truth might be1 or however prejudicial to his own interests4 ,i have this moment returned from a drive through the streets1 and1 though far from being an alarmist1 ,i begin to think that affairs wear a more serious aspect than ,i dreaded4 ,already has a collision taken place between the populace and the soldiers1 who attempted to disperse them near the ,palais-,royal2 and it required the assistance of a charge of cavalry to secure the dangerous victory to themselves4 ,crowds were hurrying through the streets1 many of the shops were closed1 and not above three or four carriages were to be seen4 ,never did so great a change take place in the aspect of a city in so few hours6 ,yesterday the business of life flowed on in its usual current4 ,the bees and the drones of this vast hive were buzzing about1 and the butterflies of fashion were expanding their gay wings in the sunshine4 ,to-day the industrious and orderly seem frightened from their usual occupations1 and scarcely a person of those termed fashionable is to be seen4 ,where are all the household of ,charles the ,tenth1 that vast and well-paid crowd who were wont to fill the anterooms of the ,tuileries on gala days1 obsequiously watching to catch a nod from the monarch1 whose slightest wish was to them as the laws of the ,modes and ,persians8 ,can it be that they have disappeared at the first cloud that has darkened the horizon of their sovereign1 and increased the danger that menaces him by shewing that they have not courage to meet it8 ,heaven send1 for the honour of ,france1 that the noblesse of the court of ,charles the ,tenth may not follow the disgraceful example furnished by that of his unfortunate brother1 ,louis the ,sixteenth6 ,in ,england how different would it be if danger menaced the sovereign6 ---- has just been here1 and1 in answer to my question of where are the men on whose fidelity the king could count1 and in whose military experience he might confide in such a crisis as the present1 he told me that for the purposes of election interests all the general officers who could be trusted had unfortunately been sent from the court4 ,the sound of firing has announced that order1 far from being restored1 seems less likely than ever to be so4 ,people are rushing wildly through the streets proclaiming that several persons have been killed by the military4 ,all is confusion and alarm1 and every one appears to dread what the coming night may produce4 ,intelligence has just reached us that the mob are demolishing the lanterns1 and that they have broken into the shops of the gunsmiths1 and seized all the arms they could find4 ,the ,duc de ,raguse commands the troops1 and already several charges have taken place4 ,this selection1 under present circumstances1 is not considered to be a good one4 ,the people are forming barricades in various parts of the town1 and some of our servants1 who have been out to collect intelligence1 assert that no hinderance seems to be opposed to this mischievous measure4 ,where are the civil authorities during all this commotion8 is the natural question that suggests itself to one who knows how in ,london1 under any disturbance1 they would oppose themselves to check such proceedings4 ,and why1 if the civil authorities are too weak to resist the torrent1 is there not a sufficient military force to stem it8 is the next question that presents itself4 ,no one seems to know where the blame lies1 but every one foretells a dangerous result from this unaccountable state of things4 ,the promulgation of the ordonnances which had led to this tumult1 ought to have been accompanied by a display of force sufficient to maintain their enactment4 ,if a government will try the hazardous measure of a coup d'tat1 it ought to be well prepared to meet the probable consequences4 ,i feel so little disposed to sleep that1 instead of seeking my pillow1 ,i occupy myself by noting down my impressions1 occasionally looking out of my window to catch the sounds that break the stillness of the night4 ,the heat is intense1 but the sky is as pure and cloudless as if it canopied a calm and slumbering multitude instead of a waking and turbulent one1 filled with the most angry emotions4 ,comtes d',orsay and ,valeski have just returned1 and state that they have been as far as the ,place de la ,bourse1 where they saw a scene of the utmost confusion4 ,the populace had assembled there in great force1 armed with every kind of weapon they could obtain1 their arms bared up to the shoulders1 and the whole of them presenting the most wild and motley appearance imaginable4 ,they had set fire to the ,corps-de-,garde1 the flames of which spread a light around as bright as day4 ,strange to say1 the populace evinced a perfect good-humour1 and more resembled a mob met to celebrate a saturnalia than to subvert a monarchy4 ,comtes d',o---- and ,v---- were recognised by some of the people1 who seemed pleased at seeing them4 ,on returning1 they passed through the ,rue de ,richelieu1 which they found in total darkness1 all the lanterns having been broken4 ,comte d',o---- luckily found his cabriolet in the ,rue de ,mnars1 where he had left it1 not being able to take it farther1 owing to a portion of the pavement being broken up1 and had only time to reach the club-house in the ,rue de ,gramont1 in the court of which he placed his cab1 before the populace rushed by1 destroying every thing they met1 among which was the carriage of the ,prince ,tufiakin4 ,a considerable number of the members of the club were assembled1 a few of whom witnessed1 from the balcony on the ,boulevart1 the burning of the chairs placed there1 the breaking of the lamps1 and other depredations4 ,some gentlemen went to the battalion of the guards stationed in front of the ,prince ,polignac's1 and suggested to the officer in command the propriety of sending a few men to arrest the progress of the insurgents1 a thing then easily to be accomplished2 but the officer1 having no orders1 declined to take any step1 and the populace continued their depredations within three hundred yards of so imposing a force as a battalion of the guards6 ,what may not to-morrow's sun witness1 ere it goes down8 ,but conjecture is vain in a crisis in which every thing appears to go on in a mode so wholly unaccountable4 ,the exhibition of a powerful force might and would1 ,i am persuaded1 have precluded the collision that has occurred between the populace and the military4 ,blood has been shed on both sides1 and this has rendered the breach between people and sovereign too wide to be repaired except by something almost miraculous1 and alas6 the time of miracles is past4 ,i cannot help wondering at the calmness ,i feel on this occasion4 ,i experience no personal alarm2 but ,i am apprehensive for my friends1 some of whom are deeply interested in this struggle4 ,how may their destinies1 lately so brilliant1 be overclouded by the change that menaces to take place6 ,well may ,monsieur ,salvandy have observed at the ball so recently given by the ,duc of ,orlans to the royal families of ,france and ,naples1 ,this may be termed a ,neapolitan fte1 for they are dancing over a volcano4 ,,chapter ,,xxiii4 ,all now seems quiet1 so ,i will go to bed4 ,heaven only knows if to-morrow night we may be allowed to seek our pillows in safety4 #bhth4--,my femme-de-chambre undrew my curtains this morning1 with such a face--so faint1 so spiritless1 so dull1 so dead in look1 so woe-begone--proclaiming that barricades had been erected during the night1 and that the bodies of those killed in the encounter yesterday have been paraded through the streets in order to excite still more the angry feelings of the people4 ,this last measure reminds one of the appalling exhibitions in the fearful and memorable ,revolution of former days2 and the reminiscences it awakens are not calculated to tranquillize the mind4 ,she states that the shops are all closed1 and that no provisions can be obtained2 the cook complains that his stockpots want replenishing2 and the femme de charge hints that the larder is not so well supplied as it would have been had she known what was to occur4 ,each and all of these functionaries seem wholly occupied by the dread of not being able to furnish us with as copious repasts as usual1 unmindful that a mighty throne is tottering to its foundation1 and that a struggle is going on in which many lives may be sacrificed4 ,the ,duc de ,raguse has incurred great blame for his intercourse with the supposed leaders of the ,revolution4 ,this conduct has had the effect of destroying the confidence of the troops in their chief1 and of weakening their attachment to the cause they were to support4 ,the ,marchal was the ,commandant appointed by the ,king1 and as such1 bound to treat as rebels those who opposed themselves to his government2 instead of which1 he seemed more like the confident of a party who1 it is alleged1 owe their victory to his supineness4 ,the ,duc de ,guiche has not left his post1 near the royal family1 since the #bfth1 except to pass and repass with instructions from the ,king to the ,duc de ,raguse1 twice or thrice a-day4 ,he has been repeatedly recognised by the people1 though in plain clothes1 and experienced at their hands the respect so well merited by his honourable conduct and devotion to his sovereign4 ,how often have ,i heard this noble-minded man censured for encouraging the liberal sentiments of the ,dauphin2 and heard this1 too1 from some of those who are now the first to desert ,charles the ,tenth in the emergency which is the result of the system they advocated6 ---- has been here2 he tells me that to ,marshal ,marmont the king has confided unlimited power1 and that ,paris has been declared in a state of siege4 ,he says that the military dispositions are so defective1 that there is not a young officer in the army capable of committing a similar mistake4 ,the regiments are crowded into narrow streets1 in which even children may become dangerous enemies1 by throwing from the windows every missile within their reach on the heads of the soldiers4 ,he is of opinion that1 in twenty-four hours1 the populace will be in possession of ,paris4 ,the tri-coloured flag is now floating from the towers of ,notre-,dame2 while the white flag of the luckless ,bourbons1 as often stained by the faithlessness of its followers1 as by the blood of its foes1 still waves from the column of the ,place ,vendme1--that column erected to commemorate the glory of the great chief now calmly sleeping in his ocean-washed grave4 ,the civil authorities seem paralyzed3 the troops have been twelve hours on duly without any refreshment1 except that afforded by the humanity of the people1 who have brought them wine and bread2 can it be hoped that these same soldiers will turn their arms against those who have supplied their necessities8 ,the royal emblems are destroyed wherever they are found1 and the bust of the king has been trampled on4 ,the disgusting exhibition of the dead bodies has had the bad effect calculated upon1 and all is tumult and disorder4 ,every one wonders where are the authorities1 and why a sufficient military force does not appear1 for there has been ample time1 since the disposition to insurrection manifested by the people1 to assemble the troops4 ,every visitor1 and1 notwithstanding the disturbed state of ,paris1 we have already had several to-day1 announces some fresh disaster1 each representing it according to the political creed to which he adheres4 ,the ,royalists assert that the outbreak is the result of a long and grave conspiracy1 fomented by those who expect to derive advantage from it2 while the ,liberals maintain that it has arisen spontaneously and simultaneously from the wounded spirit of liberty1 lashed into a frenzied resistance by the ordonnances4 ,i pretend not to know which of these statements is the most correct2 but ,i believe that the favourite opinion of the worthy ,sir ,roger de ,coverley1 that much could be said on both sides of the question1 might now fairly be urged2 for1 according to the march of events1 it is but too probable that the melodrama now enacting before our eyes has not been an impromptu2 and it is quite clear that the ordonnances have furnished the occasion1 and the excuse 7if such were required71 for the performance4 ,well might a great ,italian writer pronounce revolutions to be the carnivals of history4 ,this one seems to be not only a carnival but ,saturnalia1 for the ebriety of the slaves of liberty is well calculated to disgust the friends2 and those who witness this intoxication are reminded of the observation of ,voltaire1 that ,les ,franais gotent de la libert comme des liqueurs fortes avec lesquelles ils s'enivrent4 ,a revolution affected by physical instead of moral force1 is a grave wound inflicted on social order and civilization--a wound which it takes ages to heal4 ,when on the point of sitting down to our djener a la fourchette 7for people will eat while thrones are crumbling71 repeated knockings1 at the porte-cochre induced us to look from the window in order to see who the persons were who thus loudly demanded admittance1 when it was discovered that they were ,doctors ,pasquier and ,de ,guise4 ,they had been dressing the wounded at the hospital in the ,faubourg du ,roule1 and finding on their return that the ,champs-lyses and ,rue ,st4-,honor were the scenes of combat1 had bethought themselves of our vicinity1 and sought shelter4 ,when our unexpected visitants1 deeming themselves fortunate in having found a refuge1 prepared to join our repast1 it was ludicrous to observe the lengthened faces of our servants at this addition to our party4 ,they1 having previously lamented the paucity of provisions in the larder1 and being aware of the difficulty1 if not impossibility1 of procuring a further supply1 looked on the new-comers as interlopers1 who would inevitably diminish the already too limited stock4 ,we had not been seated above five minutes at table1 when the report of fire-arms announced that hostilities were renewed1 and we hurried to the drawing-room to observe what was going on4 ,the servants looked as if they rather enjoyed the interruption to the morning's meal1 thinking no doubt that it would preserve the provisions1 now so precious in their eyes1 and they prepared to remove the viands with unusual alacrity2 but their visages lengthened when told to let them remain on the table1 and became still longer when we shortly after resumed our places at the board4 ,an ,englishwoman1 in the kitchen establishment1 has just performed a feat that has elevated her into a heroine in the eyes of the rest of the servants4 ,finding the larder not sufficiently supplied1 she sallied forth into the street1 passed through the ,rue ,st4-,honor1 while the fighting was going on1 and returned bearing a basket of meat1 obtained certainly at the risk of her life1 as shots were flying around her4 ,as none of the men offered to undertake this action1 she is now considered little less than an amazon1 and her amour-propre being excited by the commendations bestowed on her courage1 she declares that she will go forth for all that may be required1 as she despises fear4 ,we have now entrenched ourselves in the front drawing-rooms1 with the external shutters1 which are stuffed to exclude noise1 closed1 but which we open occasionally1 in order to see what is going on4 ,sitting in darkness1 with the sound of firing1 and the shouts of the people1 continually in our ears1 ,i can hardly bring myself to think that all that is now passing is not a dream4 ,the populace1 ten minutes ago1 rushed from the ,rue ,st4-,honor towards the ,champs-lyses1 assailing the troops stationed in the latter place2 and were in turn assailed by these last1 and forced to retreat to the ,rue ,st4-,honor4 ,the scene was one of the utmost confusion4 ,the firing is going on2 stragglers are rushing to and fro2 a body of troops are stationed at the bottom of this street1 and some pieces of cannon have been placed4 ,a thousand rumours are afloat1 each more improbable than the other4 ,one moment it is announced that several regiments have fraternized with the people2 another1 that the royal family have fled to ,belgium2 the next1 that ,paris is to be fired by the insurgents2 but it would be impossible to repeat one-half the wild rumours in circulation4 ,there is a mixture of the sublime and of the ridiculous in the scenes now passing before my eyes that is quite extraordinary4 ,looking from my window1 twenty minutes ago1 ,i saw a troop of boys1 amounting to about fifty1 the eldest of whom could not be more than ten or eleven years old1 and some who appeared under that age1 march through our streets1 with wooden swords1 and lances pointed with sharp nails1 flags flying1 and crying1 ,vive la charte6 ,vive la libert6 ,the gravity and intrepidity of these gamins de ,paris would1 at any other period1 have elicited a smile2 but now1 this demonstration on the part of mere children creates the reflection of how profound and general must be the sympathy enlisted against the government and the sovereign in the hearts of the people4 ,many are those who1 like their children1 shout ,vive la charte6 and ,vive1 la libert6 who are as ignorant of the true sense and value of both as they are4 ,well might the victim1 when being led to execution in the days of the past revolution in ,france1 exclaim1 ,o ,liberty1 what crimes are committed in thy name6 ,one of our servants has this moment informal me that the children1 whose warlike demeanour ,i was disposed to smile at an hour ago1 have rendered 7not the state1 but the popular cause7 some service4 ,the troops1 more amused than surprised at the appearance of these mimic soldiers1 suffered them to approach closer than prudence warranted1 and the urchins1 rushing among the horses1 wounded several of the poor animals severely1 and effected their retreat before the soldiers were aware of what had occurred4 ,a fatality seems to prevail in the preset crisis that is little less than marvellous4 ,a want of provisions for the troops is now added to the catalogue of excitements against the cause of royalty4 ,harassed by the repeated attacks of the populace1 and exhausted by long exposure to the intense heat of a burning sun1 they are little prone to consider as enemies those who approach them with food to allay the pangs of hunger1 and drink to cool their scorching thirst4 ----1 and others who have mingled with the crowd1 tell me that they have beheld repeated examples of soldiers throwing down their arms1 to embrace those who came to seduce them with the most irresistible of all seductions--refreshment1 when they were nearly exhausted by the want of it4 ,i shall begin to consider myself half a heroine1 after an exploit ,i performed this evening4 ,the men who shared our dinner having gone out to observe what was passing1 ,i determined1 cote que cote1 to pay a visit to my friend ,madame ,craufurd4 ,i attired myself as simply as possible1 and1 attended by a valet de pied1 sallied forth4 ,having traversed the short distance that separates this house from the ,rue ,st4-,honor1 ,i arrived at the barricade erected in front of the entrance to the ,rue ,verte1 and ,i confess this obstacle seemed to me1 for the first minute or two that ,i contemplated it1 insurmountable4 ,my servant1 too1 expressed his belief of the difficulty1 if not impossibility1 of climbing over this mountain of loose stones1 that ,i felt half disposed to retrace my steps4 ,the shouts of a mob approaching along the ,rue ,st4-,honor quickly decided me on the course to pursue2 ,i clambered up as best ,i could1 not without considerable risk2 nor was the danger and difficulty of the descent on the other side of this rude pyramid less imminent4 ,the evening was more sultry than ,i ever experienced an evening to be1 even in ,italy2 the houses were all closed1 the streets deserted1 except when a few occasional stragglers rushed along1 glancing at me with surprise1 and uttering their comments on my courage4 ,now and then a dog ran by1 with a terrified air and drooping tail1 keeping close to the houses as if for protection4 ,one might have fancied oneself in some city ravaged by the plague1 and the burning heat of the atmosphere1 and lurid red of the clouds1 might have strengthened the notion4 ,it more than once occurred to me how singular it was for me1 a woman and a stranger1 to find myself with only one attendant in the streets1 on foot1 in a city declared to be in a state of siege1 and with the noise of firing in the distance1 and the shouts of the populace1 continually breaking on my ears4 ,having passed the ,rue de la ,ville-l'vque1 and entered the ,rue d',anjou1 ,i soon reached the porte-cochre of my friend4 ,my servant knocked1 and very loudly1 but before the ,swiss porter would open the door1 he reconnoitred from the window in the entresol of his lodge4 ,he could hardly credit his eyes when he saw me2 and while he unbolted and unchained the door1 an operation which took him more time than ,i thought necessary1 ,i could hear him muttering that1 ,les dames ,anglaises n'ont peur de rien1 positivement rien4 ,i was not sorry when ,i heard the massive door closed after me1 with its bolts and chains again secured2 but1 as ,i crossed the courtyard1 the different aspect of the house1 with its closed windows1 reminded me so forcibly of the change that had occurred since my last visit1 only three days previously1 that ,i felt more agitated than while traversing the streets4 ,when ,i entered the drawing-room1 in which a large circle were assembled1 ,madame ,craufurd1 though the servants announced my name1 could hardly believe ,i was indeed come4 ,she wept bitterly while embracing me1 and observed on the hardship of a person so aged as herself being called on to witness two revolutions4 ,all the horrors of the first are recalled vividly to her mind1 and her terror of what may occur is proportioned to what she remembers to have formerly taken place4 ,nothing seemed to pacify her terror so much as the fact of my having been permitted to pass unmolested to her house1 though she considered me little less than insane to have undertaken the task4 ,for myself1 said ,madame ,c----1 ,i have little fear 7though her blanched cheek and trembling hand told another story72 but for those dearer to me than life1 what have ,i not to dread8 ,you who know the chivalrous sentiments of the ,duc de ,guiche1 and the attachment entertained by him and my granddaughter for the royal family1 will understand how much ,i have to dread for them from the vengeance which their devotion to their sovereign may draw on their heads4 ,they are not1 as you are aware1 time-servers1 like so many others1 who will desert their king in his hour of need4 ,no2 they will brave death1 ,i am assured1 rather than forsake in adversity those whose prosperity they shared4 ,the marquis d',aligre1 one of1 it not the1 richest landed proprietors in ,france1 was among the circle at ,madame ,craufurd's1 and evinced no little composure and courage in the circumstances in which we found ourselves4 ,he joined me in endeavouring to soothe her fears2 and probably the fact of his having so immense a stake to risk in the crisis now taking place1 added not a little weight to the arguments he urged to quiet her alarms4 ,when people have so much to lose1 their calmness has an imposing effect2 and the rhetoric of the most accomplished orator would have probably been less successful than was the composed manner of the marquis d',aligre1 in restoring the wonted courage of our amiable hostess4 ,when ,i rose to take leave1 ,madame ,c---- tried all her efforts to persuade me to remain to sleep at her house1 and ,i had no little difficulty to escape from her importunity4 ,she would fain send all her men servants to escort me home1 and the ,marquis d',aligre also pressingly offered his services2 but ,i was obstinate in my refusal to allow anyone to accompany me1 being convinced that there was even less danger in proceeding with a single servant than more numerously attended4 ,i tore myself from the embraces of ,madame ,c----1 whose tears flowed afresh1 and bedewed my cheeks1 and ,i once more passed through the court-yard1 followed to the porter's lodge by the dames de compagnie1 femmes de chambre1 and valets de chambre1 wondering at my courage1 offering up their prayers for my safety1 and proclaiming that only an ,englishwoman would have faced such danger4 ,the old ,swiss porter would not risk opening the gate until he had assured himself1 from the window1 that the coast was clear1 and closed it so rapidly when ,i had passed it as almost to have endangered my heels4 ,on returning1 ,i found a cord drawn across the street in front of the barrack in the ,rue ,verte1 and some forty or fifty ill-dressed and riotous men assembled1 half-a-dozen of whom held the cord4 ,having approached close to it1 ,i paused1 and1 looking calmly at those who held it1 ,i appealed by looks to their politeness4 ,some of them laughed aloud1 and asked me if ,i could not leap over the barrier that impeded my progress1 drawing the rope still higher while they spoke4 ,i answered1 though ,i trembled at being exposed to their rude mirth1 and still more rude gaze1 ,that ,i felt sure ,frenchmen would not compel me to such an unfeminine exertion1 or give me cause to tell my compatriots when ,i returned to ,england that deference to women no longer existed in ,france4 ,let her pass6 let her pass6 exclaimed nearly all the voices of the group2 she is courageous1 and she speaks rightly1 ,vivent les ,anglaises6 ,vivent les ,anglaises6 and the cord was instantly lowered to the ground1 and ,i hastily stepped over it1 glad to get out of hearing of the rough compliments bestowed on me4 ,my servant had attempted to address them before ,i spoke1 but they one and all assailed him with a torrent of reproach1 demanding if he was not ashamed to wear a livery1 the badge of servitude1 when all his countrymen were fighting for their liberty4 ,i had again to clamber over the barricade1 assisted by my servant1 and1 before ,i could cross the ,rue ,st4-,honor1 encountered various groups of men rushing along1 all of whom uttered such invectives against my footman that ,i determined not again to go out attended by this symbol of aristocracy4 ,on reaching my home1 the porter observed1 with a self-complacency his prudence could not conceal1 that he knew ,madame la ,comtesse had nothing to dread from the people1 they were brave and bons enfans1 and would not injure a lady2--a commendation that clearly indicated the state of his feelings4 ,,chapter ,,xxiv4 ,i have observed a striking change in the manners of the servants during the last three days4 ,they are more familiar1 without1 however1 evincing the least insolence2 their spirits seem unusually exhilarated1 and they betray an interest in the struggle in which the people are engaged that leaves no doubt as to the side that excites their sympathy4 ,every rumour of the success of the insurgents is repeated by them with ill-suppressed animation and pleasure1 and the power of the people is exaggerated far beyond the bounds of truth4 ,i confess this folly on their part annoys me1 and the more especially as the class to which they belong1 are totally incapacitated by ignorance from being able to comprehend even the causes alleged for this popular outbreak4 ,misguided men6 can they hope that servitude will be lightened by their being employed by some parvenus1 elevated from the dregs of the people by a revolution which sets floating to the top the worst ingredients of the reeking caldron from which it is formed1 instead of owning the more gentle and infinitely less degrading sway of those born to1 and accustomed to rule8 ,comte ---- and ---- have just come in1 and report that the last story current is1 that fifty thousand men from ,rouen are marching to ,paris to espouse the cause of the people4 ,they say there is no end to the desertions among the troops4 ,the people--the people6 ,i hear of nothing but the people2 but those who speak of them as all and every thing1 seem to me to mistake the populace for the people1 yet surely the words are not synonymous4 ,the people1 according to my acceptation of the word1 are the sober and respectable portion of the community of all countries1 including the husbandmen who till the earth1 and the artisans who fabricate the objects applicable to our positive wants1 and superfluous luxuries4 ,how different are these from the populace who fill the streets shouting for liberty1 by which they mean license2 fighting for a charter of the real meaning of which they are ignorant2 and rendering themselves the blind instruments by which a revolution is to be accomplished1 that will leave them rather worse off than it found them2 for when did those who profit by such events remember with gratitude the tools by which it was effected8 ,thursday4--,repeated knocking at the gate drew me to the window ten minutes ago4 ,the intruder presented a strange mixture of the terrible and the ridiculous1 the former predominating4 ,wearing only his shirt and trousers1 both stained with gore1 and the sleeves of the former turned up nearly to the shoulder1 a crimson handkerchief was bound round his head1 and another encircled his waist4 ,he brandished a huge sword with a black leather string wound round his wrist1 with one hand1 while with the other he assailed the knocker4 ,hearing the window opened1 he looked up1 and exclaimed1 ,ah6 madame1 order the gate to be opened1 that ,i may lay at the feet of my generous master the trophies ,i have won with this trusty sword1 waving the said sword over his head1 and pointing to a pair of silver-mounted pistols and a sabre that he had placed on the ground while he knocked at the gate4 ,i recognised in this man a helper in the stables of ,comte ,a4 d',orsay1 of whom it had a short time previously been reported to us1 that when a party of the populace had attempted to force the gate of the stable offices1 which are situated in the ,rue ,verte1 and the ,english grooms and coachman were in excessive alarm1 this man presented himself at the window1 sword in hand1 declaring that he1 though engaged in the same cause as themselves1 would defend1 to the last moment of his life1 the horses of his master1 and the ,englishmen whom he considered to be under his protection4 ,this speech elicited thunders of applause from the crowd who retreated1 leaving the alarmed servants1 whose protector he had avowed himself1 impressed with the conviction that he is little short of a hero4 ,this man--these same servants1 only a few days ago1 looked on as the stable drudge1 who was to perform all the dirty work1 while they1 attired in smart liveries1 and receiving triple the wages given to him1 were far more ornamental than useful in the establishment of their employer4 ,they offered him money as a reward for his spirited conduct 7the ,english of all classes1 but more especially of that to which they appertain1 think that money pays all manner of debts71 but he indignantly refused the proffered gift4 ,this revolutionary hero had been fighting for several hours to-day1 and is said to have evinced a courage and enthusiasm that remind one of all we read of the spirit of the old ,imperial ,guard1 when animated by the presence of their mighty chief4 ---- has just brought the intelligence1 that the ,tuileries and the ,louvre are taken by the people6 ,comte ,a4 d',o---- sent two of his servants 7,brement1 formerly drill-serjeant in the ,guards1 and now his porter1 and ,charles who was an hussar1 and a brave soldier7 to the ,tuileries to endeavour to save the portrait of the ,dauphin by ,sir ,thomas ,lawrence--an admirable picture4 ,his instructions as to its emplacement were so correct1 that the servants found it instantly1 but torn in pieces1 and the fragments strewed on the floor4 ,these men report that even in this feat a strange mixture of the terrible and the comic was exhibited1 for while a dead body was placed on the throne of ,charles the ,tenth1 some men appeared in the windows of the palace attired in the gold and silver tissue dresses of the ,duchesse de ,berri1 with feathers and flowers in their heads1 and fans in their hands1 which they waved to the multitude beneath1 with all the coquettish airs and graces of would-be-fine ladies4 ,the busts of ,charles the ,tenth were broken and trampled upon2 the wardrobes of the royal family were scattered1 torn1 and thrown among the people1 who seemed to regard them only as trophies of the victory they had achieved1 and not for their intrinsic value4 ,the palace of the ,archbishop of ,paris has been sacked1 and every object in it demolished4 ---- told me that the ribaldry and coarse jests of the mob on this occasion were disgusting beyond measure2 and that they ceased not to utter the most obscene falsehoods1 while they wreaked their vengeance on the property of this venerable prelate1 against whom they can bring no charge1 except the suspicion of jesuitical principles1 and of having encouraged the king to issue the ordonnances4 ---- and ---- have just been here4 ,they state that ,charles the ,tenth sent a deputation to the provisional government offering to withdraw the ordonnances1 and to form a new ministry4 ,the offer came too late1 and was rejected4 ,concessions from the vanquished are seldom valued2 and to offer terms to those who are now in the position to dictate them is as unavailing as it is undignified4 ---- and ---- say that the general opinion is1 that if the ,duchesse de ,berri was now to present herself1 with her son1 to the people1 her popularity1 and his youth and innocence1 would accomplish an event that would satisfy most parties2 namely1 the calling of the ,duc de ,bordeaux to the throne4 ,the ,duchesse de ,berri has courage enough to take this step2 what a pity it is that she has not wisdom enough to adopt it6 ,while the fighting was going on in the streets1 ---- and ---- met our ambassador1 ,lord ,stuart de ,rothesay1 walking along as usual4 ,the secretaries and attachs1 too1 of the ,english embassy have been continually seen in places where their presence evinced more courage and curiosity than caution2 but fear is1 ,i firmly believe1 an unknown guest in the breast of ,english gentlemen4 ,comte ---- has just been here2 he has been to the ,collge of ,ste4-,barbe to take charge of the sons of the ,duc de ,guiche1 in order to conduct them to the country2 a service of no little danger1 as all connected with the court1 and known to be faithful to the royal family are liable to be maltreated4 ,how painful and trying a part is the ,duc de ,guiche now called on to act3 compelled to leave his wife and family in a town in a state of siege1 or to desert the monarch to whom he has sworn fealty6 ,but he will perform it nobly2 and if ,charles the ,tenth had many such men to rally round him in the present hour1 his throne might still be preserved4 ,the ,duchesse de ,guiche1 in the trying situation in which she finds herself1 has displayed a courage worthy of olden times4 ,the devotion of her husband and self to the royal family is so well known that their house has been a marked one during the last three days1 the mob repeatedly stopping before the gate uttering cries and menaces4 ,all her friends have urged her to leave ,paris1 and to remove with her children to the country1 for she would not consent to seek an asylum with her grandmother or brother2 urging1 as a reason1 that1 in the absence of the ,duc1 she felt it her duty to remain1 that her presence might induce the household to a more strict discharge of theirs1 in protecting the property of the ,dauphin4 ---- and ---- have been here1 and have told us that the provisional government were installed in the ,htel-de-,ville1 ,general ,la ,fayette at its head1 and my old acquaintance ,monsieur ,alexandra de ,laborde taking an active part4 ,how all this is to end ,i cannot imagine2 the cry for a republic1 though strongly echoed1 will1 ,i think1 be unavailing2 and the reasonable part of the community cannot desire that it should be otherwise1 inasmuch as the tyranny of the many must ever be more insupportable than that of one1 admitting that even a despotic monarchy could in our day exercise a tyranny1 which ,i am not disposed to admit4 ,the tri-coloured flag now floats on many of the churches1 while that of the ,fleur-de-lis still waves from the column in the ,place ,vendme1 on other public buildings1 and the ,tuileries4 ,what a strange state of things6 but every thing is strange in this eventful crisis4 ---- has just been here1 and reports that yesterday a meeting of the ,deputies took place at the house of ,m4 ,casimir ,prier1 in order to consult on what measures they ought to pursue in the present state of affairs4 ,he says1 that pusillanimity1 and want of decision consequent on it1 marked the conduct of the assembly4 ,they lost the time1 so precious in a crisis like the actual one1 in disputing about words1 when deeds ought to have been had recourse to4 ,they are accused of being influenced by a dread of offending the now tottering power1 lest it should once more be solidly reinstated1 and yet of being anxious to remain well with those opposed to it2 and they are said to have temporised with both1 allowing the time for serving either to have passed away4 ,a bitter feeling towards the royal family seems to pervade the minds of the populace2 and this has been fomented by the most gross and disgusting falsehoods dispensed around by the medium of obscene brochures1 and songs which are sung and distributed through the streets4 ,even now beneath my window two men are offering1 and crying aloud1 the ,amours of the ,duchesse d',angoulme and the ,archbishop of ,paris4 ,the most spotless woman in ,france and the most devout man6 ,the same hand that would pull down the throne would raze the altar6 ---- and ---- have been among the fighting1 and report wonders of the bravery of the populace4 ,they fight with an enthusiasm and courage worthy of a better cause1 and have evinced a humanity to their wounded adversaries that elicits admiration even from those who are the most opposed to the cause they have espoused4 ,the citizens1 and the women too1 have come forth from the sanctuaries of their dwellings to dress the wounds1 and administer refreshment to the combatants1 without distinction with regard to the side on which they were engaged4 ,this amalgamation of soldiers and people has been destructive to the cause of royalty1 for the humanity experienced has induced the former to throw down their arms rather than use them against generous foes1 and cries of ,vive la ,ligne6 are often heard from those so lately opposed to it4 ,all parties agree in stating that not a single example of pillage1 except in the instances of the gunsmiths' shops1 has occurred4 ,various houses have been entered by the people for the purpose of firing from the windows2 and1 having effected their object1 they have retired without taking a single article of the many tempting ones scattered around in these dwellings4 ,this revolution1 if indeed the result should prove it to be such1 will offer a striking contrast to that fearful one that has ever since left so black a stain on ,france1 and ,frenchmen4 ,heroic courage1 great humanity1 and a perfect freedom from cupidity1 are the peculiar attributes that mark those who are now subverting the throne of the ,bourbons2 what a pity it is that such qualities should not have found a better cause for developing themselves6 #bith4--,the subject now circulated and believed is1 that ,lafayette and his followers have placed themselves at the head of the people4 ,this rumour has quieted the fears of many1 for his name exercises a great influence4 ,the fighting is still going on1 and the report of the guns comes booming on the ear continually4 ,hearing a noise in the street1 ten minutes ago1 ,i looked forth1 and beheld some four or five men covered with stains of blood1 their faces blackened by gunpowder1 and streaming with perspiration1 endeavouring to draw away a piece of cannon1 of which they had taken possession in the ,champs-lyses4 ,hearing the opening of my window1 they entreated me1 if there were any men in the house1 to send them to their assistance1 in order to draw away the gun from the reach of the enemy4 ,and if there are no men1 continued the speaker1 let the women come out and help us in the good cause4 ,while they yet spoke1 a party of soldiers were seen rushing to the rescue of the gun1 and its temporary conquerors were compelled to make a rapid retreat towards the ,rue ,st4-,honor4 ,the name of ,m4 ,laffitte is now mixed with that of ,lafayette among the crowds in the streets1 and has a great effect on them4 ,his vast wealth1 and the frequent and extensive aid it has afforded to the working classes1 have rendered him one of1 if not the most popular man in ,paris3 so that those most conversant with the actual state of affairs1 pronounce that with ,lafayette and ,laffitte now rest the destiny of ,france4 ,how strange is the alteration which has occurred within so short a space of time6 ,five days ago1 ,charles the ,tenth reigned in the ,tuileries2 at present1 on ,lafayette and ,laffitte it depends whether he ever enters his palace again6 ,the tocsin is now sounding6 ,how strangely1 how awfully it strikes on the ear6 ,all this appears like a dream4 ,the formation of a provisional government is to-day spoken of4 ,the cry of ,vive ,napoleon6 has been heard repeatedly shouted from one mass of people1 while ,vive la rpublique6 has been as loudly vociferated by another4 ,various persons connected with both the royalist and popular party1 have been here to-day1 so that ,i hear the opinions entertained by the adherents of both sides of the question4 ,which to credit ,i know not3 there is but one point on which both agree1 and that is in praising the bravery and forbearance of the people4 ,when ,i look around on the precious objects that cover the tables1 consoles1 and cabinets in the salon where ,i am now writing1 and reflect that these same people are not only in arms1 but ,i may say masters of the town1 ,i cannot help wondering at their total avoidance of pillage when such rich booties might be so easily acquired4 ,perhaps there is no ,european city in which so many and such splendid collections of rare and precious articles are to be found1 as at ,paris4 ,in ,england1 our nobility possess equal treasures1 but they are contained in their country seats2 whereas it is in the ,parisian dwellings of the ,french noblesse1 that their valuable possessions of rare objects are to be found1 and at the present crisis1 how soon could an armed mass seize them6 #bhth4--,the ,duchesse de ,guiche was exposed to considerable danger to day1 and evinced a courage nearly allied to temerity in speaking her sentiments on the occasion4 ,alarmed for the safety of her eldest son1 she was proceeding to his college in search of him1 when she was stopped by a vast crowd of people assembled around the house of one of the tradespeople of the royal family1 over whose door were the arms of ,france4 ,the frightened tradesman was in the act of removing this badge1 of which only a few days previously he had been so proud1 when the duchesse1 seeing him so employed1 remarked aloud1 that after having so often solicited permission to place the royal arms over his door1 he ought to have had the courage to defend them4 ,the populace1 enraged at this reproof1 hissed and yelled2 but seeing that she remained unmoved1 the greater number cheered her1 exclaiming that young woman is as courageous as she is beautiful2 let us shew her that we know how lo value courage1 and protect her to her home1 ,they placed themselves around her1 and with every mark of respect1 escorted her1 to the gate of her dwelling4 ,a person among the crowd who witnessed this incident1 told me that never had he seen the ,duchesse de ,guiche look so dazzlingly beautiful1 as when she was reproving the tradesman--her tall and majestic figure elevated even above its usual height by the indignation she experienced at the insult offered to the royal family1 to whom in these their days of trial1 she is even more chivalrously devoted than when they reigned with undisputed sway1 and thousands of those who now desert1 professed to worship them4 ,before the duchesse regained her abode1 she encountered several skirmishing parlies in the streets who were absolutely fighting1 and probably owed her safety lo the protection afforded her by those whom her courage had won to be her champions4 ,the intelligence reached us two hours ago1 that the populace had attacked the hotel of the ,duc de ,guiche1 and placed two pieces of cannon before the gate4 ,my terror may more easily be imagined than described1 for the duchesse and her youngest children are in the house1 and the duc is with the royal family4 ,i hardly knew whether to be thankful or sorry1 that her brother ,count ,alfred d',orsay was not at home when this news reached us1 for he would certainly have proceeded to her house1 and would probably have1 by his presence and interference1 rendered her danger still greater4 ,fearful of compromising the safety of her children1 the duchesse left the hotel by another gate1 opening into the ,rue de ,montaigne1 and is1 ,i trust1 ere this1 safe on her route to ,st4-,germain1 where her father-in-law1 the ,duc de ,gramont1 has a residence4 ,how like a troubled dream all this appears6 ,would that it were but a dream1 and that those whom ,i so much love1 were not exposed to pay dearly for their fidelity to a sovereign1 whose measures their enlightened minds are the last to approve1 but whose misfortunes1 if they cannot ameliorate1 they will at least share6 ,i know not a more painful position than that of the ,duc and ,duchesse de ,guiche1 at the present moment4 ,with highly cultivated minds and liberal opinions1 possessing a knowledge of the world1 and of the actual state of public opinion in ,france1 they must be aware of the utter hopelessness of the cause in which they find themselves embarked1 yet such is their chivalrous sentiments of honour1 that they will sacrifice every thing rather than abandon those whose prosperity they have partaken1 and thus incur all the penalty of the acts of a government whose policy they did not approve4 ,had ,charles the ,tenth many such devoted adherents1 he would not find himself deserted in his hour of need4 ,,chapter ,,xxv4 ,i have but just returned from the ,rue d',anjou1 and now that ,i find myself once more within the sanctuary of my home1 ,i am surprised at my own courage in having ventured to pass through the streets1 and alone1 too1 at such a moment4 ,i do not think ,i should have risked it1 had ,i not known how much my excellent friend ,madame ,c---- stood in need of consolation1 after having seen her grandchildren and great grandchildren driven from their late peaceful and happy dwelling1 uncertain when she may behold them again1 as they have determined on not forsaking the royal family4 ,i had ascended nearly to the top of the barricade at the entrance to the ,rue ,verte when a head and shoulders rose from the opposite side so suddenly as to alarm me not a little4 ,my trepidation was infinitely increased when ,i discovered that the individual to whom the said head and shoulders appertained1 was in a state of extreme intoxication1 and when with rolling eyes1 flushed checks1 and thick articulation he addressed me with a familiarity1 yet good nature1 that ,i would most willingly have dispensed with4 ,give me your hand1 ma belle1 fear nothing1 ,i am one of the bons enfans of the revolution1 take my arm and no one will molest you4 ,we1 les braves des braves1 wage no war against women2 au contraire1 we love the pretty creatures4 ,here take my hand1 and ,i will assist you over the barricades4 ,suiting his action to the word1 he extended his hand towards me1 and reaching forward lost his equilibrium and rolled over2 at which moment1 the proprietor of a wine shop at the corner of the ,rue ,verte came to my assistance1 and leading me through his house1 opened a door on the other side of the barricade1 through which ,i hastily passed1 he civilly offering to open the same door when ,i returned if ,i would knock at it4 ,and here1 en passant1 let me render justice to the politeness ,i have invariably experienced from all classes of men1 and on all occasions1 in ,france--a politeness so general that ,i should be ungrateful if ,i did not record it4 ,when ,i passed the barrack in the ,rue ,verte1 it was in the possession of the people1 who had seized it by the right of conquest an hour or two previously4 ,proud of the achievement1 they were looking out of the windows1 shouting1 singing the ,marseillaise1 embracing each other1 and proclaiming that they were les bons enfans1 etc4 ,they paid me many homely compliments as ,i passed1 but not a single indelicate allusion escaped their lips2 and ,i hurried on1 not meeting a human being until ,i entered the courtyard of ,madame ,c----'s hotel1 into which ,i found considerable difficulty to penetrate1 owing to the extreme caution of her ,swiss porter who seemed to think it very dangerous to open even the little door to admit me4 ,i found dear1 good ,madame ,c---- depressed and agitated4 ,i rejoiced to find that she was ignorant of the scene that took place between her grand-daughter and the populace1 for a knowledge of it would have served to increase her alarm4 ,she was surrounded by the usual circle of habitus who endeavoured in vain to calm her fears1 but my presence re-assured her a little1 and ,count ,valeski1 who came in soon after1 succeeded in mitigating her terror4 ,having witnessed the horrors of the former revolution1 it is no wonder she should tremble at the thoughts of another1 and she looks on my calmness and courage as little short of heroism4 ,i remained a couple of hours with her1 and having resisted all her persuasions to induce me to stay all night1 ,i left the ,rue d',anjou1 and had reached the ,rue ,verte1 when ,i heard the report of guns1 and saw a party of soldiers attacking the barracks1 out of the windows of which the people1 who had taken forcible possession of it some hours before1 were firing on their assailants4 ,i retraced my steps as hastily as possible1 fear lending swiftness to my feet1 and returned to the ,rue de ,matignon by the ,faubourg du ,roule and the ,rue ,st4-,honor4 ,our trusty porter1 having heard the shots1 and knowing they proceeded from the quartier through which my route lay1 was much alarmed for my safety1 and evinced great pleasure when he saw me safe again within the portal under his charge1 while ,i congratulated myself on having once more proved my friendship to my dear old friend1 by a personal exertion entailing no more disagreeable consequences than a temporary alarm4 ---- and ---- have just been here3 they say that it is reported that a negotiation has been opened between the king and the provisional government1 and that even still a reconciliation may be effected4 ,i do not believe it1 though ,i wish it were true4 ,the blood that has flowed during the last days has1 ,i fear1 created an impassable gulf between the sovereign and the people4 ,each party has made discoveries fatal to the good understanding necessary to subsist between both3 one having proved his want of power to carry his wishes into effect1 and the other having but too well evinced its power of resistance4 ,while the negotiations are pending1 the royal cause becomes every hour more hopeless4 ,success has rendered the people less tractable2 and the concession implied by the king's holding out terms to them1 has less chance of producing a favourable result4 ,the populace attempted to force an entrance into the ,htel des ,pages1 and1 having fired through the iron gate1 killed a fine youth1 the son of ,general ,jacquinot1 one of the royal pages1 and a protg of the ,duc de ,guiche4 ,it was of this general that the ,emperor ,napoleon said--,celui-l est brave tous les jours1 en mon absence comme sous mes yeux4 ,it is not more than ten days ago1 since ,i met the mother and sister of this promising youth with him at the ,duchesse de ,guiche's4 ,they came to return thanks to her and the duc for the generous protection they had afforded to him2 they were elate with joy at his promotion1 looked forward to his further advancement1 and now--4 ,my heart bleeds for the poor mother who doted on her son6 ,count ,alfred d',orsay1 having heard that he had no relations in ,paris at this moment1 has gone to arrange for the interment of this poor youth1 who yet scarcely more than a child1 has lost his life at but a short distance from the threshold of that door where he had been so often received with kindness4 ,how glad ,i am that the duchesse was spared the horror of being so near the scene of this murder1 and that she and her children are safe from the reach of personal violence6 ,the interesting countenance of this fine youth1 as ,i lately saw it1 haunts me4 ,beaming with affection towards his mother and sister1 and with gratitude towards his friends1 it was pleasant to behold it2 and now1--how fearful is the change produced in so brief a space6 ,that bereaved mother and fond sister will never more look on that face so dear2--before the fatal intelligence can have reached them1 he will have been consigned to the grave1 and will owe to a stranger those last rites which they little dream are now performing4 ,the number of persons killed during the last three days has excited much less interest in my feelings than the death of this poor youth4 ,i cannot picture to my mind's eye any other distinct image among the slain4 ,they present only a ghastly mass1 with all the revolting accompaniments of gaping wounds and blood-stained garments1 ,i never saw them in life1--knew not the faces that will be steeped in tears1 or convulsed in agony at their deaths2 but this poor boy1 so young1 so fair1 and so beloved1 and his fond mother and gentle sister seem ever to stand before me6 ,i remember reading1 long years ago1 the example given of a person recounting all the details of a great battle1 in which hundreds were slain1 and the listeners hearing the account unmoved1 until the relater described one individual who had been killed1 and drew a vivid picture1 when those who had heard of the death of hundreds without any deeper emotion than general pity1 were melted to tears4 ,this is my case1 with regard to the poor young page1 cut off in the morning of his life2 for1 having his image present to my mind1 his death seems more grievous to me than that of hundreds whom ,i have never seen4 #cjth4--,the last news is1 that the ,dauphin has been named ,generalissimo1 that he has placed himself at the head of the vast body of troops that still adhere to their allegiance1 and that he is to advance on ,paris4 ,this determination has been adopted too late1 and can now1 in my opinion1 avail but little4 ,comte d',o---- has just returned from seeing the last sad duties paid to the remains of the poor young page4 ,he brings the intelligence that the royal family left ,st4-,cloud last night1 and are now at ,versailles4 ,this step proves that they consider their case hopeless4 ,unhappy ,bourbons6 a fatality seems to impend over the race2 and ,charles the ,tenth appears doomed to die1 as he has lived the greater portion of his life1 in exile4 ,the absence of the ,dauphine at this eventful period has been peculiarly unfortunate for her family2 for1 with her firmness of character and promptitude of decision1 her counsel might have served1 while her presence would have given an impetus to1 their cause4 ,i have just seen ----1 who told me1 that on the ,king's departure for ,versailles he left the ,dauphin in command of the troops that still adhered to their allegiance1 and that the ,prince placed himself at the head of a battalion of the garde royale1 charged the enemy on the ,pont de ,svres1 and took possession of it2 but the troops1 with the exception of a few officers1 refused to follow1 and left him to receive the fire of the insurgents1 which it is wonderful that he escaped4 ,with what feelings must he have bent his course to ,versailles1 deserted by troops on whom he had bestowed so many favours and acts of munificence1 to meet his sovereign and father1 with the sad news of their revolt6 ,i have just had the gratifying intelligence that the ,duchesse de ,guiche and her children reached ,st4-,germain's in safety4 ,this is a great relief to my mind4 ,the royal arms on the carriage1 and the liveries1 were recognised at the ,barrire1 and the populace crowded around1 many of them expressing their dissatisfaction at beholding these memorials of a family so lately respected1 if not beloved4 ,it had been represented to the ,duchesse1 previously to her leaving ,paris1 that she ran no inconsiderable risk in venturing out with the royal arms on her carriage2#i but she declared that she would not consent to their being effaced4 ,she courageously1 and with a calm dignity1 addressed the angry crowd1 explained her sentiments and feelings to them in a few brief words1 and they1 won by her beauty and noble bearing1 even perhaps still more than by her courage 7though intrepidity has always a peculiar charm for ,frenchmen71 cheered her1 and suffered the carriage to proceed unmolested4 ,july #cjth4--,i am again alarmed for the safety of the ,duchesse de ,guiche4 ,the populace having yesterday assembled at the ,place ,st4-,germain1 in which is the residence of her father-in-law1 the ,duc de ,gramont1 they evinced so hostile a feeling towards all attached to the royal family1 that a friend1 becoming apprehensive of violence1 scaled the wall of the garden1 and entering the house1 implored the ,duchesse1 ere it was yet too late1 to seek safety by flight4 ,alarmed for her children--for this noble-minded woman is a stranger to personal fear--she sought refuge with them in the ,forest of ,st4-,germain1 in the ,chteau du ,val1 the abode of the ,princesse de ,poix1 where she experiences all the kindness and hospitality which her amiable hostess can practise1 in order to soothe the anxiety of her guest4 ,what a change in the position of the ,duchesse1 and in so brief a space6 ,a fugitive in that forest where1 every year during the ,fte des ,loges1 she dispensed kindness to the poor1 and amiability to all1 doing the honours of the ,duc de ,gramont's house1 where her condescension and goodness were the themes of every tongue6 ,and now1 harassed in mind and body1 terrified for the safety of her husband1 who is with the royal family1 and for her two eldest sons1 who are in their college1 in the ,rue ,st4-,marceau1 which is rendered inaccessible1 owing to the barricades4 #cast4--,lafayette is now said to be the oracle of the provisional government1 and the idol of the populace4 ,advanced far in the vale of life1 his energies and vigour are gone1 and his name serves the party more than his counsel can2 for with the republicans1 at least1 it is a guarantee for honest motives4 ,what a strange destiny has his been--called on to perform so conspicuous a part in two revolutions6 ---- has just been here1 and announced that the ,duc d',orlans is named ,lieutenant-general of ,france4 ,it is asserted1 that this appointment has been effected by the influence of ,general ,lafayette over the provisional government2 but how little in accordance is this measure with the well-known ,utopian scheme of a republic1 which has for years been the favourite dream of this venerable visionary8 ,august #ast4 ---- now has brought the intelligence that ,charles the ,tenth has nominated the ,duc d',orlans ,lieutenant-general1 so that his ,royal ,highness has been chosen by both sides--a flattering proof of the confidence reposed in him by each4 ,were he ambitious1 here is an opportunity of indulging this infirmity of noble minds1 though at the expense of the elder branch of his family2 but he will not1 ,i am sure1 betray the trust they have confided to him4 ,order seems now to be in a great measure restored2 the people appear in good-humour2 but there is a consciousness of power evident in their hilarity that too forcibly reminds one of their victory4 ,the ,duc of ,orlans has been to the ,htel-de-,ville1 where he presented himself to the people from the balcony2 embraced ,general ,lafayette1 who stood by his side2 and was applauded with enthusiasm by the immense multitude who witnessed the accolade4 #bnd4--,the news of the day is1 that ,charles the ,tenth has abdicated the crown in favour of the ,duc de ,bordeaux1 who is now styled ,henri ,v4 ,this act might1 four or five days ago1 have produced some salutary effect2 but it now comes too late--at least1 so think those who profess to know more on the subject than ,i do4 ,the position of the ,lieutenant-general1 in this case1 reminds me of that of a confidante in a quarrel between lovers1 in which the interest of the absent is too often sacrificed1 owing to the dangerous opportunity furnished for forwarding that of the supposed friend4 #c;d4--,again1 considerable excitement has prevailed in the town1 produced by the proclamation1 that the dethroned sovereign had determined to take up his position1 with the strong military force that still adheres to him1 at ,rambouillet4 ,the publicity given to this news was a very injudicious measure1 if conciliation1 or even forbearance to the deposed family1 was desired4 ,the populace1 that many-headed monster1 only seen abroad when evil passions dictate violence1 again rush through the streets1 breathing vengeance against the poor old man1 whose grey hairs1 more exposed by the absence of the crown his ci-devant subjects have wrested from his head1 should have claimed more respect at their hands4 ,truly has the poet said1 ,he who has worn crown1 ,when less than king is less than other men1-- ,a fallen star1 extinguish'd1 leaving blank ,its place in heaven4 ,this fickle people1 or1 at least1 the dregs of them1 for it would be unjust to confound all in their enormities1 will efface the credit they have gained by the forbearance from crime that has as yet characterised this revolution1 by some act of brutality towards the royal family4 ,but even the very dregs of the people have not appeared desirous to adopt any such course1 until excited into it by the wicked rumours set afloat1 that ,charles the ,tenth had carried off all the crown jewels--a rumour peculiarly calculated to excite their ire and meet a ready credence1 each individual of the motley train looking on himself as having an interest in these national riches1 and judging from self1 of the possibility--nay1 more1 probability1 of so vile an action4 ,how little can such minds identify themselves with the feelings of those who1 sated with the gewgaws and trappings of grandeur1 forget them in the deep1 the powerful excitement of beholding a throne crumbling into ruin beneath them--a diadem rudely torn from their brows--the power they wielded1 even that of doing good1 wrested violently1 with the sceptre1 from their hands2 and more than all1 behold the loved1 the trusted--those on whom they had showered benefits with prodigality1 turn from them in their hour of need and join their foes6 ,if thou canst hate1 as1 oh6 that soul must hate ,which loves the virtuous and reveres the great2 ,if thou canst loathe and execrate with me ,that gallic garbage of philosophy1-- ,that nauseous slaver of these frantic times1 ,with which false liberty dilutes her crimes2 ,if thou hast got within thy free-born breast ,one pulse that beats more proudly than the rest ,with honest scorn for that inglorious soul ,which creeps and winds beneath a mob's control4 ,which courts the rabble's smile1 the rabble's nod1 ,and makes1 like ,egypt1 every beast its ,god6 ,august #dth4--,the ,king has left ,rambouillot1 alarmed by the report of the approach of the vast multitude who had left1 or were leaving1 ,paris1 with hostile intentions towards the royal family4 ,the scenes that took place then1 previously to his departure1 are represented as being most affecting4 ,an old man1 overpowered by mental and bodily sufferings1 remembering the terrible days of a former revolution1 brought with a fearful vividness to his mind by the appalling change effected within the last few eventful days1 he had lost all presence of mind1 and with it his confidence in those whom he might have safely trusted1 while he yielded it to those whose interests were wholly opposed to his4 ,nor is the deplorable effect produced on his mind by recent events to be wondered at4 ,adversity is the only school in which monarchs can acquire wisdom1 and it almost always comes too late to enable them to profit by its bitter lessons4 ,the defection of those hitherto supposed to be devoted friends1 the altered looks of faces never before beheld without being dressed in smiles1 the unceremoniousness of courtiers who never previously had dared to have an opinion before royalty had decided what it should be1 might well have shook firmer nerves1 and touched a sterner heart1 than belonged to the old1 grey-headed monarch1 who saw himself betrayed without comprehending by whom1 and who used his authority as sovereign and father1 over his religiously obedient son1 to extort an abdication of his right1 as well as an approval of the resignation of his own4 ,like another ,lear1 this poor old man has been driven forth to bide the pelting of the pitiless storm of a revolution1 followed by his widowed daughter-in-law and her helpless son1 that child orphaned ere yet he saw the light1 and by ,frenchmen who now condemn him to exile6 ,they have taken the route to ,cherbourg1 there to embark2 and of those who lately bent the knee before them1 how few have followed their now gloomy fortunes6 ,one1 at least1 has not left1 and will not forsake them4 ,the ,duc de ,guiche1 the kindest husband and father perhaps in ,france1 sacrifices his feelings of domestic affection to his sense of duty1 and accompanies the exiled family6 ,,chapter ,,xxvi4 ,august #eth4--,there are rumours today that the son of the ,emperor ,napoleon will be called to fill the vacant throne4 ,this seems to me to be very improbable1 when ,i reflect that ,general ,lafayette1 whose influence is omnipotent at present1 appears wholly devoted to the ,duc d',orlans4 ,the minds of the people are as yet wholly unsettled2 a dread of how their late exploits may be looked on by the foreign powers allied to the deposed sovereign1 pervades the multitude1 and the republicans begin to discover that their ,utopian schemes are little likely to be advanced by the revolution effected4 ,i was forcibly struck this morning on reading1 in an ,italian writer1 the following passage1 which is strongly applicable to the present time3 ,when a revolution is ripe1 men are always found who are ready to commence it1 and make their bodies the steps to the throne of him who is to profit by their labours1 without having shared their dangers4 ,i have a presentiment that the truth of this axiom will be verified in ,france4 ,august #fth4--,reports are now afloat that the crown of ,france has been offered to the ,duke of ,orlans1 but that the offer was not unanimous1 and that consequently he has not accepted it4 ,other rumours state1 that if he should be induced to do so1 it will only be to hold it as a sacred deposit to be restored to the rightful owner when1 with safety to both parties1 it can be transferred4 ,should this be the case1 then will the ,duke of ,orleans deserve well of the elder branch of his family who have behaved so kindly towards him1 but ,i confess ,i am not one of those who believe in the likelihood of such an abnegation of self1 as this voluntary abdication would display4 ,rich possessions are seldom if ever willingly resigned1 and a crown is one said to have such irresistible charms to the person who has once worn it1 that history furnishes but few examples like that of ,charles the ,fifth1 or ,christina of ,sweden4 ,time will prove whether ,louis-,philippe d',orlans will offer a pendant6 ,i walked with ,comte d',o---- this evening into the ,champs-,elysees1 and great was the change effected there within the last few days4 ,it looks ruined and desolate1 the ground cut up by the pieces of cannon1 and troops as well as the mobs that have made it a thoroughfare1 and many of the trees greatly injured1 if not destroyed4 ,a crowd was assembled around a man who was reading aloud for their edification a proclamation nailed to one of the trees4 ,we paused for a moment to hear it1 when some of the persons recognising my companion1 shouted aloud1 ,vive le ,comte d',orsay6 ,vive le ,comte d',orsay6 and the cry being taken up by the mass1 the reader was deserted1 the fickle multitude directing ail their attention and enthusiasm to tho new comer4 ,we had some difficulty in escaping from these troublesome and unexpected demonstrations of good will2 and1 while hurrying from the scene of this impromptu ovation to the unsought popularity of my companion1 ,i made him smile by hinting at the danger in which he stood of being raised to the vacant throne by those who seem not to know or care who is to fill it4 ,comte d',o---- was as much puzzled as ,i was how to account for this burst of enthusiasm1 for1 taking no part in politics1 and all his family being attached to the legitimate cause1 this demonstration of regard appears more inexplicable4 ,it seems1 however1 to establish one fact1 and that is1 that though the monarch has fallen into disrepute with the people1 the aristocracy have not1 and this alone proves how totally different are the feelings of those who have effected the present revolution with those of the persons who were engaged in the former one1 a difference1 perhaps1 not more to be attributed to the change produced in the people by the extension of education1 than in the noblesse by the same cause1 aided by the habits and feelings it engenders4 ,whatever may be the cause1 the effect is salutary1 for the good understanding evident between the two classes tends greatly to the amelioration and advantage of both4 ,there is something very contagious in popular feeling4 ,it resembles an epidemic from which few of the class more peculiarly exposed to it escape4 ,walked into the streets to-day1 for a carriage cannot yet pass through them4 ,never did any town1 not actually sacked1 present a more changed aspect4 ,houses damaged by shots1 windows smashed1 pavements destroyed1 and trees cut down or mutilated1 meet the eye along the ,boulevards4 ,the destruction of the trees excited more regret in my mind than that of the houses4 ,there1 many of them lay on the ground shorn of their leafy honours1 offering obstructions on the spots which they so lately ornamented1 while others stood bare and desolate1 their giant limbs lopped off1 their trunks shattered by bullets1 and retaining only a few slight branches oh high1 to which still adhered the parched1 discoloured1 and withered leaves1 sole remnants of their lately luxuriant foliage4 ,the houses may be rebuilt and the streets newly paved1 but how many years will it take before these trees can be replaced6 ,those who loved to repose beneath their shade1 or who1 pent in a city1 were solaced by beholding them and thinking of the country of which they brought pleasant recollections1 will grieve to miss them1 and1 like me1 own with a sigh1 while contemplating the ravages occasioned by the events of the last few days1 that if good ever is effected by that most dangerous of all experiments1 a revolution1 it is too dearly bought4 ,the people seem as proud and pleased as possible with the accomplishment of the task they took in hand4 ,how long will they continue so8 ,they are like a too-spirited horse who1 having mastered his rider1 requires a bolder and more expert hand to subjugate him again to obedience1 and the training will be all the more painful from the previous insubordination4 ,of one thing the people may be proud1 and that is1 their having not stained this revolution with any of the crimes that have left so indelible a blot on the former one4 ,how soon does the mind habituate itself to an unnatural state of excitement6 ,my femme de chambre positively looked blank and disappointed this morning1 when1 on entering my chambre coucher1 she answered in reply to my question1 whether any thing new had occurred during the night1 ,non1 miladi1 positivement rien4 ,strange to say1 ,i too felt dsoeuvr by the want of having something to be alarmed or to hope about1--,i1 who meddle not with politics1 and wish all the world to be as quiet and as calm as myself4 ,every one ,i see appears to experience this same flatness1 just like the reaction produced on the spirits the first day or two after the ,italian ,carnival1 when the cessation of gaiety1 though felt to be a relief to the frame1 leaves the mind unfitted for repose4 ,i find this feeling is generally experienced1 for several of the shop-keepers1 whose profit1--nay1 whose very bread1 depends on the restoration of social order1 confess it4 ,one person1 the wife of a jeweller1 owned to me to-day that ,paris was now beginning to be very triste4 ,to be sure they were no longer afraid to open their shops1 and commerce they hoped would soon become active again1 but there was no more the same interest continually awakened1 as when every hour1--nay1 every minute brought some new event1 and she and her neighbours looked out to behold the fighting in the streets1 the wounded and the dying dropping around1 and trembled for their own lives1 and for the safety of those dear to them4 ,in short1 as she admitted1 the want of excitement was experienced by all those who had lately become accustomed to it1 as much as it is felt by the habitual gamester who cannot live without play4 ,this is a dangerous state for the people of a great city to find themselves in4 ,vastly more dangerous than if subdued by a long-continued excess of excitement1 their moral as well as their physical force required repose1 and they gladly resigned themselves to it4 ,to a sober-minded denizen of ,england1 the ungovernable pride1 insatiable vanity1 and love of fighting1 inherent in the ,french1 appear really little short of insanity1 to so great an excess do they push these manias4 ,this will always render them so difficult to be governed1 that it will require no ordinary abilities and firmness in him who undertakes the arduous task of ruling them4 ,yet the very excess of these passions renders the ,french the most able1 as they decidedly are the most willing1 instruments to be employed in achieving the aims of the wildest ambition1 or the most glorious enterprises4 ,he will the longest and most securely govern them1 who calls these passions into action1 provided always that they meet no check1 for the ,french not only bear adversity impatiently1 but soon turn against him who has exposed them to it3 witness their conduct to the ,emperor ,napoleon1 who1 while success frowned his banner1 was their idol4 ,playing at soldiers is the favourite game of ,frenchmen of every class and description1 and every opportunity afforded them of indulging it is gladly seized4 ,when ,i compare the reluctance with which the yeomanry of ,ireland1 or the local militia of ,england1 leave their homes and their business to assume the spear and shield1 with the enthusiasm evinced by the ,garde ,nationale when they are called to leave their boutiques and don their uniforms1 ,i am more than ever struck with the remarkable difference existing between two nations separated by so short a distance4 ,the ,english local militia man will fight when occasion requires1 and with determined courage1 too1 because he believes it to be his duty1 but the ,french ,national ,guard will combat for the mere love of combating1 and forget home and interest in the pleasure of the excitement4 ,the ,duchesse de ,guiche has returned to ,paris1 while her amiable and noble-minded husband has accompanied the royal family to ,cherbourg1 where they are to embark for ,england4 ,nothing can exceed the courage and dignity with which she supports her altered fortunes4 ,she thinks only of those to whom the ,duc and herself have been so long and so truly devoted2 and in her chagrin for their sufferings forgets her own4 ,the ,duc has such a perfect confidence in her good sense and tact1 that he has sent her his procuration to act for him in his absence4 ,no sooner had she arrived at her abode1 than she sent to demand the protection of ,general ,grard#aj for the house and stables of the ,dauphin1 and ho immediately ordered a guard to be placed there4 ,heaven grant that she may not be exposed to any annoyance during the absence of her husband6 ,the ,duchesse de ,guiche gave a new proof of her courage and presence of mind yesterday4 ,early in the morning1 having heard a noise in the courtyard of her dwelling1 she beheld from the window of her chamber an officer gesticulating with violence1 and menacing the grooms of the ,dauphin4 ,the upper servant entered at the moment1 and announced that the officer insisted on seizing six of the finest horses in the stable1 by order of ,general ,lafayette4 ,the ,duchesse descended to the courtyard1 informed the officer that the whole establishment was under the protection of ,general ,grard1 without whose orders no horse should leave the stables4 ,he attempted to enforce his pretensions2 but the ,duchesse desired the head groom to call out his assistants1 about thirty in number1 who1 armed with pitchforks and other implements of their calling1 soon came forth2 and the ,duchesse assured the intruder that1 unless he immediately retired1 he should be forcibly expelled4 ,seeing the courage and determination of this high-spirited and beautiful woman1 the officer withdrew1 and the horses were saved4 ,it has since been ascertained1 as the ,duchesse anticipated1 that ,general ,lafayette had never given any orders to the officer who had used his name4 #gth4--,the ,duke of ,orleans has at length accepted the crown2 and various are the conjectures and reports to which his doing so has given rise4 ,many of them1 as may be easily imagined1 are not creditable to him2 but on this occasion1 as on most others1 the least charitable motives are generally assigned to those whose conduct is judged by the mass often wholly ignorant of the reasons on which it is based4 ,the vast wealth of the ,duke of ,orleans has a powerful influence2 and those who a few days ago exclaimed against royalty1 and vaunted the superior advantages of a government without a king1 are now reconciled to having one whose immense private fortune will exempt the nation from the necessity of furnishing funds for a civil list4 ,should the new sovereign hereafter demand one1 his popularity will be endangered2 and the ,king of the ,french1 as he is styled1 will be likely to find as little favour in the eyes of his subjects as the ,king of ,france experienced4 ,popularity1 always1 and in all countries1 an unstable possession1 is in ,france infinitely more so2 and ,louis-,philippe must have more luck1 as well as more wisdom1 than falls to the lot of mankind1 to retain this fleeting good when the novelty of his reign has worn away4 ,that he is a man of great ability no one seems to entertain a doubt2 but his wisdom would1 in my opinion at least1 have been more surely manifested had he declined instead of accepting the crown4 ,those who profess to be best acquainted with his sentiments declare1 that he only acceded to the wishes of the people in ascending the vacant throne1 in order to preserve the charter1 and to preclude the dangerous theoretical experiments into which the republican party was so desirous to plunge4 ,it remains to be proved whether1 in a few years hence1 those who have subverted one monarchy by violence may not be tempted to have recourse to a similar measure in order to free themselves from the successor they have chosen2 for even already it appears clear to me1 that the expectations entertained1 not only by the partisans of ,louis-,philippe1 but by the generality of the people1 are such as he never can fulfil4 ,he may be their idol for a brief space1 but1 like all other idols1 he will be expected to perform miracles2 and not having the sanctity with which time invests even false gods1 he may be thrown from the pedestal to which he has been elevated as unceremoniously as he was raised to it4 ,i saw ,general ,lafayette to-day1 and never felt more disappointed1 as his appearance does not at all correspond with what ,i had imagined it to be4 ,the ,lafayette aux cheveux blancs1 as the popular song describes him to be1 is1 au contraire1 a plain old man1 with a dark brown scratch wig1 that conceals his forehead1 and1 consequently1 gives a very common and1 to my thinking1 a disagreeable expression to his countenance4 ,the cheveux blancs would be a great improvement2 for1 independently of the song thus describing him1 one looks for the venerable mark of age in this ,nestor of revolutions1 who in his youth has seen his idol1 ,liberty1 commit fearful crimes in ,france as well as great deeds in ,america1 and who now1 when on the threshold of the grave1 in which ere long he must repose1 beholds her regeneration in his native land1 redeemed from the cruelty that formerly stained her course4 ,voil le grand ,lafayette6 exclaimed one of the people as he passed to-day2 ,oui1 la ganache des deux mondes1 replied the other4 ,such is popular favour6 ,i walked in the ,palais-,royal to-day2 and felt much more disposed to pity than envy the ,king of the ,french1 as ,louis-,philippe is styled1 when ,i beheld a crowd of idle miscreants1 assembled in front of his dwelling1 rudely and boisterously vociferating his name1 and in a tone much more resembling command than entreaty1 desiring his presence4 ,he at length came forward1 bowed repeatedly1 pressed his hand to his heart1 and then withdrew1 looking1 as ,i thought1 rather ashamed of the rle he was called on to enact1 while his riotous audience seemed elated at exhibiting his docility4 ,the ,queen was then called for1 and1 after some delay1 was handed forward by ,louis-,philippe4 ,it made me sad to look on the altered countenance of this amiable woman1 whom all parties allow to be a most faultless wife and mother4 ,she is hardly to be recognised as the same being who only a very few months ago looked the personification of happiness4 ,already have deep care and anxiety left their furrows on her brow1 proving that ,a diadem1 howe'er so bright it be1 ,brings cares that frighten gentle sleep away1 ,e'en when from buried ancestors it comes1 ,who bless'd when they bequeath it to their heir2 ,for great is the responsibility ,of those who wear the symbol of a king1 ,in regular succession handed down ,from sire to son through long antiquity4 ,but when th' anointed head that wore it once ,sleeps not in death--but exiled1 worse than death-- ,and scions legitimate live to claim ,their birthright1 oh6 how heavy is that crown 7,though loose it fits71 which well the wearer knows1 ,a people's breath may blow from of his brow1 ,sear'd by the burning weight1 it yet would guard1 ,e'n though it crush him4 ,i am told that no day passes in which a crowd does not assemble beneath the windows of ,louis-,philippe and loudly vociferate for his presence4 ,m4 ,laffitte is not unfrequently seen with the king on these occasions1 and when they embrace the crowd applauds4 ,i cannot imagine a more painful position than that of the ,queen of the ,french4 ,devotedly attached to her husband and family1 she will have often to tremble for their safety1 exposed1 as it must be1 to the inconstancy and evil passions soi-disant subjects1 who may1 ere long1 be disposed to pull down the throne they have erected for ,louis-,philippe as rapidly as they raised the barricades for its elevation4 ,had the ,king of the ,french succeeded to the throne by the natural demise of those who stood between him and it1 how different would be his position2 for it is agreed by all who know him1 that he has many qualities that eminently fit him to fill it with credit to himself and advantage to the people2 but as it is1 ,i foresee nothing but trouble and anxiety for him1--a melancholy change from the domestic happiness he formerly enjoyed4 ,any attempt to check the turbulence of the people will be resented as an act of the utmost ingratitude to those who placed the crown on his head2 and if he suffers it with impunity1 he will not only lose his empire over them1 but incur the contempt of the more elevated of his subjects4 ,i saw the ,king of the ,french walking through the ,place ,vendme to-day1 attended only by one person4 ,he was recognised1 and cheered1 and returned the salutation very graciously4 ,and there stood the column erected to commemorate the victories of one now sleeping in a foreign grave2 one whose very name was once the talisman that excited all ,parisian hearts into the wildest enthusiasm6 ,louis-,philippe passed near the base of the column1 which seemed to return a sullen echo to the voices that cheered him2 did he1 or those around him1 remember their vicinity to this striking memorial of the inconstancy of the nation8 ,the scene awakened more reflections in my mind than ,i dare say it did in that of those whose voices rent the air2 but though it might be only fancy1 ,i thought the ,king of the ,french looked very grave4 ,monsieur ,mignet spent last evening here2 his conversation is full of interest1 being the overflowing of a rich mind1 free from prejudices1 and his ideas1 though methodically arranged and subjected to the ordeal of a sober judgment1 bear the warm tint of a brilliant imagination1 that might have rendered him a poet1 had he not chosen to be a historian4 ,the ,revolution has produced no visible change in this clever and agreeable man1 who1 filling the office of ,keeper of the ,archives1 devotes his time to studies and researches in harmony with the pursuits to which he has many years been accustomed1 and hears the success of the popular cause1 to which he has long been attached1 with a moderation and equanimity highly indicative of a philosophical mind1 allied to an amiable disposition4 ,there is something so striking in the appearance of ,monsieur ,mignet1 that all strangers1 who meet him here1 remark the fine character of his head and the expression of his countenance4 ,the celebrated ,general ,pepp dined here yesterday1 and is very unlike the revolutionary hero ,i had pictured him to be4 ,mild1 well-bred1 and amiable in his manner1 he seems much more suited to command a regiment in support of a legitimate monarchy1 than to subvert one4 ,although liberty appears to be with him a monomania1 the warmth with which he advocates it in conversation never urges him beyond the bounds of good breeding4 ,it is a strange infatuation to suppose that as civilisation extends its influence1 men will have faith in the ,utopian schemes of well-meaning visionaries1 and risk evils they know not1 in exchange for a state which1 if not quite faultless1 has at least much of good4 ,how many brave and honourable men become the dupes of heated imaginations and erroneous opinions1 which1 urging them to effect an amelioration of some grievances1 incur the penalty of imparting greater ones6 ,general ,pepp is liked by all who know him1 though all lament the monomania that has gained such an ascendency over his mind4 ,his brother1 ,general ,florestan ,pepp at ,naples1 whom we esteem so much1 is one of the most excellent men ,i ever knew4 ,the ,duc de ,guiche has returned to ,paris1 after having seen the royal family safely embarked at ,cherbourg4 ,the departure of the aged monarch presented a melancholy scene4 ,at his time of life1 he can never hope to behold his country again1 and the sudden change from the throne of a great kingdom to a compelled exile in a foreign land is a reverse of fortune that demands a philosophy to support1 with which few are blest4 ,there is something touching in the attachment of the ,duc and ,duchesse de ,guiche to this unfortunate family1 and above all1 to the ,dauphin and ,dauphine4 ,always aware of their affection for them1 ,i never imagined the strength of it1 until the adversity which has sent so many of those who had previously loudly professed their devotion to them away1 but which has increased the feelings of reverence towards them in this estimable couple1 by mingling with it a sentiment of deep commiseration1 that induces a still greater display of respect1 now that so many others dispense with evincing it4 ,the ,duc is charged with the disposal of the property of the ,dauphin2 and1 when this task is accomplished1 he and his family will follow the fallen fortunes of ,charles the ,tenth1 and join him at ,holyrood4 ,loving ,france as they do1 and wishing their sons to be brought up in the land of their birth1 strong indeed must be the affection that induces them to abandon it1 in order to devote themselves to the exiled ,bourbons4 ,this devotion to the fallen is the more meritorious when the liberality of the ,duc's political opinions is taken into consideration4 ,how few sovereigns find such devotion in adversity6 and how seldom are men to be met with capable of sacrificing their own interests and the future prospects of their children to a sense of duty6 99 99 99 99 99 ,a lapse in my journal4--,all seems now settled4 ,the foreign powers have acknowledged the ,king of the ,french2 and this acknowledgment has not only delighted his subjects1 but confirmed them in the belief of their own right to make or unmake sovereigns according to their will and pleasure4 ,the ,english are very popular in ,paris at this moment1 and the ready recognition of ,louis-,philippe by our government has increased this good feeling4 ,a vast crowd escorted the carriage of ,mr4 ,hamilton1 the ,secretary of the ,embassy1 to his door1 as he returned from his first accredited audience of the new monarch1 and cries of ,vivent les ,anglais6 filled the air4 ,as ,mr4 ,hamilton resides in the house next to the one ,i occupy1 ,i had an opportunity of beholding this ovation offered to him1 and the people certainly evinced very groat enthusiasm on the occasion4 ,m4 ,thiers1 ,m4 ,mignet1 ,count ,valeski1 and ,mr4 ,francis ,raring1 dined here yesterday4 ,m4 ,thiers was very brilliant and amusing4 ,it is impossible to meet him even once without being struck with the remarkable talent that characterises every sentence he utters2 and yet each observation comes forth with such spirit and vivacity1 that it is easy to see it has been elicited at the moment by some remark from another1 and not from meditation4 ,there is a hardiness in his conceptions1 and an epigrammatic terseness in the expression of them1 that command attention2 and the readiness with which he seizes1 analyses1 and disposes of a question1 betrays such a versatility of mental power as to convey a conviction that he is a man who cannot fail to fill a distinguished place in ,france1 where1 at present1 abilities furnish the master-key that opens the door to honours and fortune4 ,m4 ,thiers appears to entertain a consciousness of his talents1 but does not1 ,i really think1 overrate them4 ,the ,prince and ,princess ,soutzo with their family1 spent yesterday with us4 ,their eldest daughter1 the ,princess ,helena1 is a beautiful girl1 with captivating manners1 and highly cultivated mind1 and the little ,mary1 though still in infancy1 is one of the cleverest children ,i ever saw4 ,never did ,i see young people better brought up than are the sons and daughters of this excellent couple1 or a more united family4 ,mr4 and ,miss ,poulter1 and ,william ,spencer the poet1 ,i dined here yesterday4 ,mr4 ,poulter is a sensible man1 and his sister is well informed and intelligent4 ,it is now decided that we go to ,england6 ,two years ago ,i should have returned there with gladness1 but now6--,i dread it4 ,how changed will all appear without him whose ever-watchful affection anticipated every wish1 and realised every hope6 ,i ought to feel pleased at leaving ,paris1 where the heaviest trial of my life has occurred1 but here ,i have now learned to get inured to the privation of his society1 while in ,england ,i shall have again to acquire the hard lesson of resignation4 ,november1 #ahcj4--,this is the last entry ,i shall make in my journal in ,paris1 for to-morrow we depart for ,england4 ,i have passed the day in taking leave of those dear to me1 and my spirits have failed under the effort4 ,some of them ,i shall probably never again behold4 ,the dear and excellent ,madame ,craufurd is among those about whom ,i entertain the most melancholy presentiments1 because at her advanced age ,i can hardly hope to find her1 should ,i again return to ,france4 ,she referred to this to-day with streaming eyes1 and brought many a tear to mine by the sadness of her anticipations4 ,the ,duc and ,duchess de ,guiche ,i shall soon see in ,england1 on their route to ,edinburgh1 to join tho exiled family at ,holyrood1 for they are determined not to forsake them in adversity4 ,adieu a ,paris6 two years and a half ago ,i entered you with gladness1 and the future looked bright2 ,i leave you with altered feelings1 for the present is cheerless and the future clouded4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,notes #a3 ,now ,baron d',haussey4 #b3 ,the hermitage was lent him by ,madame d',epinay1 to whom his subsequent ingratitude forms a dark page in her ,mmoires4 #c3 ,the present ,lord ,abinger4 #d3 ,now ,lord ,glenelg4 #e3 ,now ,lord ,francis ,egerton4 #f3 ,now ,madame mile de ,girardin4 #g3 ,where thou beholdest ,genius1 ,there thou beholdest1 too1 the martyr's crown4 #h3 ,the present ,earl of ,cadogan4 #i3 ,the ,duc de ,guiche1 being premier menin to the ,dauphin1 used1 according to custom1 the arms and liveries of that prince4 #aj3 ,now ,marchal4 ,,index ,,to ,,the ,,contents4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,nismes4 ,antiquities of this ,city--,the ,htel du ,midi--,articles of ,merchandise--,history of the ,maison ,carre--,work of ,poldo d',albenas--,the ,building described--,origin of it--,now used as a ,museum--,monument to ,marcus ,attius--,cardinal ,alberoni--,barbarous ,project--,removal of ,antiquities--,the ,amphitheatre described--,charles ,martel--,excellent ,precaution in ,roman ,theatres--,inscription--,officious ,cicerone--,gate of ,augustus--,la ,tour-,magne--,excavations--,fine ,fountain--,temple of ,diana--,brevity of ,human ,life1 #a4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,town ,,of ,,arles4 ,beaucaire--,wooden ,houses--,castle of ,king ,ren--,church of ,st4 ,martha--,fabulous ,monster--,the ,htel described--,the ,hostess--,antique ,furniture--,plentiful ,dinner--,scrutiny--,visit to the ,amphitheatre--,the ,prefect of ,arles--,subterranean ,excavations--,ancient ,church of ,st4 ,anne--,altar to the ,goddess of ,good--,venus of ,arles--,granite ,obelisk--,primitive ,manners--,a ,liberal ,landlady1 #ad4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,st4-,r,,my4 ,situation of the ,town--,antiquities--,the ,triumphal ,arch described--,male and ,female ,figures--,the ,mausoleum--,bassi-relievi of ,battles1 ,infantry1 etc4--,figure of a ,winged ,female--,latin ,inscription--,variously explained--,interpretation of ,monsieur ,p4 ,malosse--,respect for the ,departed--,on ,the ,triumphal ,arch and ,mausoleum at ,st4-,remy1 #ba4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,lyons4 ,the ,fte ,dieu--,procession through the ,streets--,ecclesiastical and ,military ,pomp--,decorations in the ,streets--,effect produced on the ,mind by ,sacred ,music--,excitements to ,religious ,fervour--the ,miserere1 #cj4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,paris4 ,fatiguing ,journey--,landau ,accident--,the ,htel de la ,terrasse1 in the ,rue de ,rivoli--,six ,years' ,absence--,the ,duc and ,duchesse de ,guiche--,joy of ,meeting--,fashion at ,paris--,visit to ,herhault's ,temple of ,fashion--,mademoiselle ,la ,touche--,extravagant ,charges--,caution to ,husbands--,a ,word1 also1 to ,wives--,visit to ,madame ,craufurd--,her prepossessing ,appearance--,house-hunting--,residence of the ,marchal ,lobau--,review in the ,champ-de-,mars--,splendid ,coup d'oeil--,the ,marchioness de ,loul--,restrictions at ,court--,accident to the ,comte de ,bourmont--,alarm of the ,ladies--,charles the ,tenth1 the ,dauphin1 and the ,dauphine--,melancholy ,physiognomy of ,charles the ,first--,the ,duchesse d',angoulme--,her ,trials and ,endurance--,french ,love of ,country--,the ,duchesse de ,berri--,dinner at the ,duchesse de ,guiche's--,william ,lock--,the ,comte de l',esprance de l',aigle--,his high breeding--,the ,opera--,dbut of ,taglioni--,her ,poetical ,style of ,dancing--,the ,duc de ,cazes--,french and ,english ,manners contrasted--,attentions to the ,fair ,sex in ,france--,the ,comtesses de ,bellegarde--,character of the ,duc de ,gramont--,lady ,barbara ,craufurd--,count ,valeski--,anger of the ,marchal ,lobau--,defect in ,french ,houses--,the ,muette de ,portici--,noblet--,an old ,danseuse--,gaiety at ,tivoli--,similarity in the ,exterior of ,parisian ,ladies--,a ,quadrille ,party--,demi-toilette--,late ,tea-,party--,luxurious ,chair--,delightful ,house in the ,rue de ,bourbon--,its costly ,decorations--,its ,interior described--,the ,princesse de la ,moskowa--,sad ,interview--,marchal ,ney1 #cb4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,custom of letting out ,furniture--,the ,prince and ,princesse ,castelcicala--,lady ,hawarden--,lady ,combermere--,tone of ,society at ,paris--,attentions paid by ,young ,men to ,old ,ladies--,flirtations at ,paris--,ceremonious ,decorum--,comic ,charles de ,mornay--,parisian ,upholsterers--,rich ,furniture--,lord ,yarmouth--,elegant ,suite of ,apartments--,charles ,mills--,warm ,affections between ,relatives in ,france1 #ef4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,domestic ,arrangements--,changes in ,young ,people--,pleasant ,recollections--,lord ,lilford--,the ,marquis and ,marquise ,zamperi--,comte ,alexander de ,laborde--,the ,marquis de ,mornay--,mode of passing the ,time--,evening ,visits in ,france--,dinner-party--,the ,duc ,dalberg--,the ,duc de ,mouchy--,party to ,montmorency--,rousseau's ,hermitage--,sensibility1 a ,characteristic of ,genius--,solitude--,letter of ,rousseau to ,voltaire--,church1 of ,montmorency--,baths at ,enghien--,the ,comtesse de ,gand--,colonel ,e4 ,lygon--,the ,marquis de ,dreux-,brez--,contrast between him and the ,duc de ,talleyrand--,the ,baron and ,baroness de ,ruysch--,mr4 ,douglas ,kinnaird--,sir ,francis ,burdett--,colonel ,leicester ,stanhope--,the ,marquis ,palavicini--,charms of ,italian ,women--,lords ,darnley and ,charlemont--,mr4 ,young1 the ,tragedian--,lord ,lansdowne--,estimate of his ,character--,sir ,robert ,peel--,respect for the ,memory of ,sir ,william ,drummond--,lady ,drummond--,vivian ,grey--,mr4 ,standish--,intermarriages between the ,french and the ,english1 #fd4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,charles ,kemble--,his ,daughter's ,tragedy of ,francis the ,first--,recollections of ,john ,kemble--,the ,opera--,count ,ory--,sir ,a4 ,barnard--,secret of ,happiness--,visit to ,mademoiselle ,mars--,her ,residence described--,memorial of her ,theatrical ,career--,the ,duchesse de la ,force--,madame ,grassini--,anecdote of her--,visit to ,orsay--,its ,situation--,the ,princesse de ,croy--,hamlet of ,palaiseau--,drama of ,la ,pie ,voteuse--,family of the ,duc de ,guiche--,the ,vaudeville ,thtre--,scribe's ,avant1 ,pendant1 el ,aprs--,its ,dangerous ,tendency--,french ,ambition--,parisian ,shopkeepers--,their ,officious ,conduct1 #gh4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,lord and ,lady ,stuart de ,rothesay--,french ,politeness--,mr4 ,d---- and ,mr4 ,t---- --,study of ,shakespeare--,attractions of ,mrs4 ,t---- --,lady ,charlotte ,llndsay and the ,misses ,berry--,sir ,william ,gell--,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,hare--,female ,amiability--,shopping--,hints on ,female ,dress--,brilliancy of ,french ,conversation--,mr4 ,j4 ,strangways--,a severe ,trial--,the ,plague-spot--,miraculous ,escape--,dinner given by ,comte ,a4 de ,maussion--,goethe's ,faust--,character of ,margaret--,the witty ,mr4 ,m---- --,lord ,byron--,french ,quickness of ,apprehension--,sept ,heures--,character of ,charlotte ,corday--,degenerate ,taste of the ,parisians--,hasty ,conclusions1 #ia4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,the celebrated ,dr4 ,p---- --,society of ,medical ,men--,dr4 ,guthrie--,requisites for a ,surgeon--,celebrity and ,merit--,the ,road to ,fortune1 as related by ,dr4 ,p---- --,successful ,stratagem--,fancied ,illness--,superfluity of ,embonpoint--,mode of ,treatment--,another ,patient--,the ,doctor -la-mode--,mr4 ,p4 ,c4 ,scarlett--,lord ,erskine--,mr4 ,h4,b---- --,visit to the ,thtre ,italien--,madame ,malibran's ,desdemona--,defect in her ,singing--,the ,princesse ,pauline ,borghese--,the ,family of ,napoleon--,particulars of the ,duchesse d',abrantes--,the ,luxembourg ,palace and ,gardens--,a ,loving ,couple--,holiness of ,marriage--,story of the ,old ,bachelor and his ,crafty ,housekeeper1 #aje4 ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,groups of ,children in the ,gardens of the ,luxembourg--,joyous ,sounds--,the ,nurses--,the ,child of ,noble ,birth and that of the ,parvenu--,joys of ,childhood--,contrast between ,youth and ,age--,meeting with ,dr4 ,p---- --,arrival of ,general and the ,comtesse d',orsay--,attractions of the latter--,remark of ,napoleon--,affection in ,domestic ,circles in ,france--,the ,duchesse de ,guiche--,the ,comtesse d',orsay--,the ,duc de ,gramont--,madame ,craufurd--,the ci-devant ,jeune ,homme--,potter1 the actor--,sir ,francis ,burdett--,advantages of ,french ,society--,topics of ,conversation--,pedigrees of ,horses--,french ,politeness--,deferential ,treatment of the ,fair ,sex--,domestic ,duties of the ,duchesse do ,guiche--,influence of ,courts--,visit to the ,thtre des ,nouveauts--,la ,maison du ,rempart--,inflammable ,exhibitions--,mr4 ,cuthbert and ,m4 ,charles ,lafitte--advance of ,civilization--,lady ,combermere--,mr4 ,charles ,grant 7now ,lord ,glenelg7--,curiosity ,shops on the ,quai ,voltaire--,madame de ,svign--,objects that have belonged to celebrated ,people--,a ,hint to the ,ladies--,pincushion of ,madame de ,maintenon--,the ,marquis de ,rambouillet--,molire's ,prcieuses ,ridicules--,pangs of ,jealousy--,julie d',angennes--,brilliant ,coterie1 #abj4 ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,the ,marquise de ,pouleprie---,the celebrated ,madame du ,barry--,anecdote--,mademoiselle ,mars in ,valerie--,her admirable ,style of ,acting--,playing to the ,galleries--,exclusive ,nature of ,parisian ,society--,french ,conversation--,quickness of ,perception--,walk in the ,gardens of the ,tuileries--,comparative ,beauty of ,french and ,english ,ladies--,graceful ,walking of the ,former--,difference of ,etiquette--,well-bred ,englishmen--,flight of ,time--,colonel ,caradoc1 son of ,lord ,howden--,new ,year's ,day--,custom of making ,presents--,gallery of the ,louvre--,the ,statues therein--,works of ,art--,chefs-d'oeuvre of the ,old ,masters--,consolation for ,men of ,genius--,nicolas ,poussin1 #acd4 ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,visit to the ,hotel d',orsay--,sad ,change in it--,mr4 ,millingon1 the ,antiquary--,liberality of ,comte d',orsay--,a ,fanciful ,notion--,general ,or-nano--,unhappy ,marriages accounted for--,la ,gazza ,ladra--,mallbran's ,ninetta--,the ,calamities of ,authors--,mr4 ,d',israeli--,the ,princesse de ,talleyrand--,her ,person described--,her ,dress and ,manners--,amusing ,story told by the ,abb ,denon--,unexpected ,arrival--,yes and ,no1 by ,lord ,normanby--,lady ,dysart-,comte ,valeski--,influence of ,agreeable ,manners--,effects of opposite ones--,injudicious ,friends--,a ,candid ,admission--,lord ---- --,love of ,contradiction--,remarks on the ,novel of ,pelham--,misery of receiving stupid ,books--,malibran in ,la ,cenerentola--,french ,customs--,proofs d',amili--,wedding ,dresses1 #adf4 ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,comte ,charles de ,mornay--,his ,wit and ,good ,nature--,mademoiselle ,mars1 in ,henri ,,iii--,some ,account of the ,play--,love and ,ambition--,curious ,incident--,romantic ,notions--,passion of ,love--,wordsworth's ,poems--,admiration of his ,writings--,religion displayed by the ,upper ,classes--,the ,duc de ,bordeaux--,piety of the ,great--,popularity of the ,duchesse de ,berri--,anecdote of her--,walter ,savage ,landor--,his ,imaginary ,conversations--,sir ,william ,gell--,the ,duc d',orlans--,his ,enviable ,situation--,the ,duc de ,chartres--,genius of ,shelley--,beauty of his ,writings--,his ,wild ,theories--,william ,spencer the ,poet--,melancholy ,change in ,him--,french ,prejudices towards the ,english--,example of it--,accomplishments of ,french ,ladies--,talent for ,conversation1 #afi4 ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,consequences of the ,revolution in ,france--,corruption of the ,regency--,sarcastic ,verses of ,st4-,evremond--,reign of ,louis the ,fifteenth--,lessons taught by ,affliction--,dangers of ,anarchy--,the ,haute ,noblesse previously to the ,revolution--,want of ,affection between ,parents and ,children--,superficial ,judgments erroneous--,power of ,fashion--,the ,novel of ,devereux--,infrequency of ,elopements in ,france--,les ,dames de ,b---- --,their ,attachment to each other--,old ,maids--,servitude in ,england and ,france contrasted--,french ,masters and ,mistresses--,treatment of ,servants--,avoidance of ,politics--,french ,discontent--,charles the ,tenth--,national ,prosperity--,the ,duchesse de ,guiche and her two ,sons--,position of the ,duc de ,guiche1 #aga4 ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,approach of ,spring--,fogs on the ,seine--,the ,jardins des ,tuileries--,impurity of the ,london ,atmosphere--,exhilaration of the ,spirits--,anecdote--,the ,catholic ,question--,lord ,rosslyn--,the ,duke of ,wellington--,merits of a ,cook--,amour-propre of a ,parisian ,cook--,english ,sauce--,a ,gourmand and an ,epicure--,the ,duc de ,talleyrand--,a perfect ,dinner--,the ,marquis de ,l---- --,house-hunting again--,letter from ,lord ,b---- --,the ,htel ,monaco--,college of ,st4-,barbe--,the ,duchesse de ,guiche and her ,sons--,a ,mother's ,triumph--,spirit of ,emulation--,the ,quarter called the ,pays ,latin--,an ,author's ,dress--,aspect of the ,women--,a ,life of ,study--,amable ,tastu's ,poems--,effect of ,living much in ,society--,mr4 ,w4 ,spencer--,his ,abstraction--,disadvantages of ,civilization--,confession of ,madame de ---- --,a ,hint to ,comte ---- on visiting ,london--,suspicion of ,poverty--,a ,diner ,maigre--,luxurious ,bishops1 #ahb4 ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,romantic ,feelings of ,lady ,c---- --,true ,love--,disagreeable ,neighbours--,credulity--,mademoiselle ,delphine ,gay--,french ,novels--,french ,critics--,eligible ,mansions--,comforts of ,seclusion--,genius of ,l4,e4,l4--,the ,comtesse d',o---- --,a ,brilliant ,talker--,letter from ,mrs4 ,hare--,extreme ,hospitality--,longchamps--,exhibition of ,spring ,fashions--,french ,beauties--,animated ,scene--,promenade at ,longchamps--,extravagance of ,mademoiselle ,duth--,modern ,morals--,cinq ,mars1 by ,comte ,alfred de ,vigny--,his ,style--,strictures on ,mankind--,the best ,philosophy--,speech of ,lord ,grey--,the ,caterpillar--,a ,voracious ,appetite--,a ,refined ,lady--,la ,chronique du temps de ,charles ,,ix1 by ,prosper ,merime--,estimation of ,sir ,walter ,scott--,jules ,janin--,injudicious ,praise--,renewal of ,youth--,self-,deception--,grey ,hairs1 #aid4 ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,victor ,hugo's ,dernier ,jour d'un ,condamn--,value of ,common ,sense--,conscience--,cunning--,curiosit y ,shops on the ,quai d',orsay--,expensive and ,tasteful ,gifts--,an ,avaricious ,vender--,a ,moral--,anonymous ,scribbler--,weakness of ,mind--,poems of ,mrs4 ,hemans--,the ,minds of ,genius--,poetesses of ,england--,arrival of ,lord ,d---- --,the ,catholic ,question carried--,irish prejudices--,letters from ,absent ,friends--,sir ,william ,gell--,the ,archbishop of ,tarentum--,discoveries at ,pompeii--,novel of ,the ,disowned--,advantages to be derived from the ,perusal of ,works of ,fiction--,politics--,charles the ,tenth unpopular--,charles the ,first--,the ,house of ,bourbon--,uneasy lies the ,head that wears a ,crown--,the ,duc de ,t---- --,mr4 ,hook's ,sayings and ,doings--,visit to the ,hotel ,monaco1 #bjg4 ,,chapter ,,xix4 ,a new ,resilience--,consolation in ,sickness--,house in the ,rue de ,matignon--,its ,interior described--,the ,library--,drive in the ,bois de ,boulogne--,atmospheric ,influence--,the ,rocher de ,cancale--,a ,diner de ,restaurant--,a ,gay ,sight--,good ,taste in ,dress innate in ,frenchwomen--,well-appointed ,carriages--,soldier-like ,air of the ,male ,population--,observation of the ,emperor ,napoleon--,characteristics of the ,british ,soldier--,national ,anthem--,changes in the ,journey of ,life--,captain ,marryat's ,naval ,officer--,performance of ,la ,tour d',auvergne--,letter of ,carnot--,distinction awarded to ,merit by ,napoleon--,national ,glory--,effect of ,enthusiasm--,villa of the ,duchesse de ,montmorency--,residences on the ,banks of the ,thames--,bagatelle1 the ,seat of the ,duc de ,bordeaux--,earthly ,happiness--,domestic ,alterations--,high ,rents at ,paris--,terrace and ,aviary--,unsettled ,slate1 #bai4 ,,chapter ,,xx4 ,unexpected ,events--,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,mathews--,their son1 ,charles--,evening ,party--,recitations and ,songs--,pleasant ,recollections--,visit to the ,jardin des ,plantes--,amusing ,incident--,humorous ,imitations--,intellectual ,powers--,recourse to ,reading--,the ,comte ,montalembert--,his ,grief on the ,death of his ,daughter--,restraint imposed by ,society--,fate of the ,unfortunate--,the ,prince and ,princess ,soutzo--,particulars relative to them--,reverse of ,fortune--,mr4 ,rogers and ,mr4 ,luttrell--,memory of ,lord ,byron--,his ,lampoon on ,rogers--,love of ,sarcasm--,conversation of ,mr4 ,luttrell--,lord ,john ,russell--,his ,qualifications--,monsieur ,thiers--,monsieur ,mignet--,his ,vigorous ,writings--,friendship between ,thiers and ,mignet--,the ,baron ,cailleux--,visit to the ,louvre--,taste for the ,fine ,arts--,the ,marquis and ,marquise de ,b---- --,clever ,people--,lord ,allen and ,sir ,andrew ,barnard--,the ,culinary ,art1 #bcj4 ,,chapter ,,xxi4 ,mr4 ,rogers and ,mr4 ,luttrell--,society of ,refined ,englishmen--,mercurial ,temperament of the ,french--,opposite ,characters--,m4 ,erard's ,collection of ,pictures--,antique ,bijouterie--,lord ,pembroke--,the ,duke of ,hamilton--,dr4 ,parr--,reproof of the ,duc de ,blacas--,monsieur ,mignet--,his great ,knowledge--,a ,clever ,man--,influence of ,conscience--,abilities of ,lord ,palmerston--,lord ,castlereagh--,his ,uncle1 the late ,marquess of ,londonderry--,dangers of ,fashion--,mr4 ,cutlar ,fergusson--,the ,baron and ,baroness de ,ruysch--,a ,mind at ,ease--,dreary ,weather--,sad ,state of the ,streets--,fogs--,fascination of ,madame ,grassini--,sledge ,party--,sledge of the ,duc de ,guiche--,that of ,comte d',orsay--,picturesque ,night ,scene--,revival of an ,old ,fashion--,the ,prince ,polignac--,his ,amiable ,manners--,his ,difficult ,position1 #bdb4 ,,chapter ,,xxii4 ,effects of ,indisposition--,instability of ,earthly ,blessings--,captain ,william ,anson 7,brother of ,lord ,anson7--,his varied ,acquirements--,the pretty ,madame de la ,h---- --,prince ,paul ,lieven--,captain ,cadogan 7now ,earl ,cadogan7--,life at ,sea--,visit to the ,duchesse de ,guiche--,her ,warmth and ,gentleness of ,manner--,political ,crisis--,the ,conquest of ,algiers--,general ,excelmans--,rash ,measure--,charles the ,tenth--,his ,ministry unpopular--,prosperity of ,france--,extorted ,concessions-- ,dissolution of the ,chambers--,the ,public ,press--,controversy--,commotion before the ,htel of the ,ministre des ,finances--,the ,ministers insulted--,counsel of the ,duc de ,guiche--,serious ,aspect of ,affairs--,crowds in the ,streets--,household of ,charles the ,tenth--,noblesse of his ,court--,confusion and ,alarm--,riotous ,conduct--,firing on the ,people--,formation of ,barricades--,absence of the ,civil ,authorities--,nocturnal ,impressions--,comtes d',orsay and ,valeski--,scene in the ,place de la ,bourse--,the ,corps-de-,garde set on ,fire--,darkness in the ,rue ,richelleu4--,further disturbances--,continued ,depredations--,breach between the ,people and the ,sovereign--,anecdote of ,monsieur ,salvandy1 #bbe4 ,,chapter ,,xxiii4 ,the ,dead paraded through the ,streets to inflame the ,populace--,the ,shops closed--,the ,duc de ,raguse censured--,his ,supineness--,devotion of the ,duc de ,guiche to his ,sovereign--,the ,military ,dispositions defective--,flag of the ,bourbons--,troops in ,want of ,refreshment-- ,destruction of the ,royal ,emblems--,disgusting ,exhibition--,rumours of ,fresh ,disasters--,opinion of ,sir ,roger de ,coverley--,revolutions the ,carnivals of ,history--,observation of ,voltaire--,doctors ,pasquier and de ,guise--,report of ,fire arms--,paucity of ,provisions--,female ,courage--,domestic ,entrenchment--,further ,hostilities--,conflicting ,rumours--,the ,sublime and the ,ridiculous--,juvenal ,intrepidity--,fatality--,the ,soldiers and the populace--,visit to ,madame ,craufurd--,barricade in the ,rue ,verte--,approaching ,mob--,safe ,arrival in the ,rue d',anjou--,terror of ,madame ,craufurd--,her ,anxiety for her ,relatives--,composure of the ,marquis d',aligre--,riotous ,assembly in the ,rue ,verte--,their ,conduct towards the ,author--,dangerous ,symbol of ,aristocracy--,arrival at ,home1 #bhb4 ,,chapter ,,xxiv4 ,familiarity of ,french ,servants--,power of the ,people--,misguided ,men--,further ,rumours--,who are the ,people8--,an ,intruder--,a ,revolutionary ,hero--,the ,tuileries and the ,louvre taken--,sir ,thomas ,lawrence's ,portrait of the ,dauphin--,the ,terrible and the ,comic--,trophies of ,victory--,the ,palace of the ,archbishop of ,paris sacked--,concessions of ,charles the ,tenth--,the ,duchesse de ,berri--,lord ,stuart de ,rothesay--,noble ,conduct--,the ,duchesse de ,guiche--,her trying ,situation--,the ,provisional ,government--,the ,tri-coloured ,flag--,meeting of the ,deputies--,bitter ,feeling towards the ,royal ,family ,bravery of the ,populace--,lafayette and his followers--,scene in the ,street--,the ,good ,cause--,the wealthy ,m4 ,laffitte--,valuable ,collections at ,paris--,courageous ,conduct of the ,duchesse de ,guiche--,her ,champions--,attack on the ,htel of the ,duc de ,guiche--,comte ,alfred d',orsay--,painful ,position1 #bgb4 ,,chapter ,,xxv4 ,sanctuary of ,home--,madame ,c---- --,intoxicated ,revolutionist--,his ,good-,nature--the ,proprietor of a ,wine-,shop--,politeness of all ,classes in ,france--,barracks in the ,rue ,verte--,difficulty of obtaining ,admission--,agitation of ,madame ,c---- --,comte ,valeski--,the ,barracks attacked and taken--,dangerous ,route--,impassable ,gulf between the ,sovereign and the ,people--,the ,royal ,cause hopeless--,a ,fine ,youth killed--,reflections on his ,death--,number of ,persons killed during the last ,three ,days--,details of a ,battle--,rumour respecting the ,dauphin--,interment of the ,page--,fatality attending the ,bourbons--,absence of the ,dauphine--,revolt of the ,troops--,the ,duchesse de ,guiche at ,st4-,germain--,her noble ,bearing--,the ,duc de ,gramont--,the ,chteau du ,val1 the ,residence of the ,princesse de ,poix--,the ,fugitive ,duchess--,popularity of ,lafayette--,the duc d',orlans named ,lieut4-,general of ,france--,order restored--,abdication of ,charles the ,tenth--,renewed ,excitement--,clamour against the ,king--,a ,fickle ,people--,wicked ,rumours--,the ,king quits ,rambouillet--,school of ,adversity--,desertion by ,friends--,route to ,cherbourg1 #bid4 ,,chapter ,,xxvi4 ,rumour relative to the ,son of ,napoleon--,unsettled ,state of ,affairs--,conflicting ,rumours--,the ,duke of ,orleans--,charms of a ,crown--,aspect of the ,champs-,elyses--,unsought popularity--,comte d',orsay--,scene of ,destruction--,shattered ,trees--,pride of the ,people--,re-action after ,excitement--,anecdote--,the ,jeweller's ,wife--,passion of the ,french--,playing at ,soldiers--,enthusiasm of the ,garde ,nationale--,return to ,paris of the ,duchesse de ,guiche--,confidence of the ,duc--,courage of the ,duchesse--,general ,grard--,the ,duke of ,orleans accepts the ,crown--,popularity1 an unstable ,possession--,abilities of ,louis-,philippe--,expectations formed of him--,person of ,lafayette--,appearance in ,public of the new ,sovereign--,the ,queen--,her painful ,position--,the ,king of the ,french in the ,place ,vendme--,monsieur ,mignet--,his varied ,acquirements--,the celebrated ,general ,pepp--,strange ,infatuation--,charles the ,tenth embarks at ,cherbourg--,devotion to the exiled ,bourbons--,the ,english ,popular at ,paris--,mr4 ,hamilton1 ,secretary of the ,embassy--,brilliant conversation of ,m4 ,thiers--,the ,prince and ,princesse ,soutzo--,mr4 ,poulter--,lesson of ,resignation--,departure for ,england--,leave-taking--,adieu to ,paris1 #bid4