from the ,google ,print project47 ,memoirs of ,madame ,vige ,lebrun ,uniform with this volume3 ,,memoirs ,,of ,,countess ,,potocka ,illustrated4 ,translated by ,lionel ,strachey ,,memoirs ,,of ,a ,,contemporary ,illustrated4 ,translated by ,lionel ,strachey ,illustration3 ,,mme4 ,,vig,e ,,lebrun ,,and ,,her ,,daughter4 ,memoirs of ,madame ,vige ,lebrun ,translated by ,lionel ,strachey ,with ,numerous ,reproductions of ,paintings by the ,authoress ,london ,grant ,richards #aijd ,copyright1 #aijc1 by ,doubleday1 ,page ,company ,printed by ,manhattan ,press ,new ,york4 ,n4 ,y41 ,u4 ,s4 ,a4 ,,prefatory ,,note ,madame ,lebrun brought out her ,memoirs at the suggestion of her friend1 the ,princess ,dolgoruki1 in #ahce4 ,the authoress was born in #agef1 at ,paris1 where she died in #ahdb4 ,she was the daughter of ,louis ,vige1 an obscure portrait painter4 ,her baptismal name was ,marie ,louise ,elisabeth4 ,in #aggf ,mademoiselle ,vige was married to ,jean ,baptiste ,pierre ,lebrun1 a notable picture dealer and critic1 known also to his contemporaries as an inveterate gambler4 ,this book forms a rendering of ,madame ,carette's edition of the ,lebrun ,memoirs1 slightly abridged for the sake of uniformity with the ,memoirs of the ,countess ,potocka and the ,memoirs of a ,contemporary1 issuing from the same hands as the present volume4 ,,contents ,page ,,chapter ,i4 ,,youth4 ,precocious ,talents ,manifested -- ,mlle4 ,vige's ,father and ,mother -- ,death of ,her ,father -- ,a ,friend of ,her ,girlhood -- ,her ,mother ,remarries -- ,mlle4 ,vige's ,first ,portrait of ,note 7,count ,schouvaloff7 -- ,acquaintance with ,mme4 ,geoffrin -- ,the ,authoress's ,puritanical ,bringing-up -- ,male ,sitters ,attempt ,flirtation -- ,public ,resorts of ,paris ,before the ,revolution #c ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,up ,,the ,,ladder ,,of ,,fame4 ,tedious ,sojourn in the ,country -- ,social ,amenities in ,paris -- ,mlle4 ,vige ,becomes ,mme4 ,lebrun -- ,prognostications of ,unhappy ,wedlock -- ,on the ,ladder of ,fame -- ,singularities of ,oriental ,taste -- ,marie ,antoinette as a ,model -- ,painting the ,royal ,family -- ,how ,louis ,,xviii4 ,sang -- ,the ,princess de ,lamballe #af ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,work ,,and ,,pleasure4 ,impressions of ,flanders -- ,the ,authoress's ,election to the ,french ,royal ,academy of ,painting -- ,her ,devotion to ,work -- ,social ,pleasures -- ,a ,tale of an ,artist's ,extravagance -- ,calonne and ,calumny -- ,m4 ,lebrun ,allows ,his ,wife ,naught ,per ,cent4 of ,her ,earnings -- ,a ,dramatic ,constellation -- ,the ,incomparable ,mme4 ,dugazon #cb ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,exile4 ,a ,gallic ,maecenas -- ,anecdote ,concerning ,beaumarchais -- ,the ,duke de ,nivernais -- ,mme4 ,du ,barry ,sketched in ,words -- ,and ,painted in ,oils -- ,rumblings of the ,revolution -- ,mme4 ,lebrun's ,fearsome ,journey to ,italy -- ,renewed ,artistic ,activity at ,rome -- ,easter ,sunday at ,st4 ,peter's -- ,fascination of the ,eternal ,city -- ,vanities and ,violences of ,its ,people #dg ,,chapter ,v4 ,,neapolitan ,,days4 ,naples -- ,a ,sleepy ,ambassadress -- ,the ,remarkable ,life of ,lady ,hamilton -- ,being the ,story of a ,frivolous ,flirt ,fond of ,beer -- ,more ,royal ,models -- ,excursions to ,posilippo -- ,mlle4 ,lebrun ,writes a ,novel at the ,age of ,nine -- ,the ,queen of ,naples ,sits to the ,authoress -- ,the ,wedding of the ,doge of ,venice with the ,sea #fc ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,turin ,,and ,,vienna4 ,a ,queen ,who ,refused to ,be ,painted -- ,a ,four-,course ,dinner of ,frogs1 ,frogs1 ,frogs and ,frogs -- ,villeggiatura -- ,french ,refugees at ,turin -- ,their ,heartrending ,plight -- ,vienna -- ,news of the ,awful ,murder of ,louis ,,xvi4 and ,marie ,antoinette -- ,barefoot ,princess ,lichtenstein -- ,inducements to ,visit ,russia -- ,journey ,thither via ,dresden -- ,the ,sistine ,madonna #gd ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,saint ,,petersburg4 ,arrival at ,st4 ,petersburg -- ,the ,beautiful ,grandduchess ,elisabeth -- ,catherine ,,ii4 ,receives ,mme4 ,lebrun -- ,and ,is ,most ,gracious -- ,petty ,court ,intrigues -- ,a ,visit to ,count ,strogonoff -- ,hospitality of the ,russians -- ,an ,ambassador as ,gardener -- ,princess ,dolgoruki and ,her ,hideous ,admirer -- ,the ,extravagances of ,potemkin -- ,his ,end #hc ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,life ,,in ,,russia4 ,painting ,russian ,royalties -- ,festivities at ,court -- ,the ,pangs of ,waiting for ,dinner -- ,to ,keep ,warm1 ,spend the ,winter in ,russia -- ,the ,hardiness of ,its ,common ,people -- ,who ,are ,well ,suited with ,serfdom -- ,and ,remarkably ,honest -- ,the ,quaint ,ceremonial of ,blessing the ,neva -- ,various ,social ,customs #if ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,catherine ,,ii4 ,surroundings of ,st4 ,petersburg -- ,patriarchal ,unconventionalities -- ,an ,artillery ,repast -- ,the ,greatness of the ,second ,catherine -- ,who ,lit ,her ,own ,fire and ,made ,her ,own ,coffee -- ,and ,was ,sworn at by a ,chimney ,sweeper -- ,other ,domestic ,amenities in the ,career of an ,empress -- ,the ,suit of ,gustavus ,,iv4 -- ,catherine's ,death -- ,humiliating ,funeral ,incidents #aji ,,chapter ,x4 ,,the ,,emperor ,,paul4 ,accession of the ,emperor ,paul -- ,his ,arbitrary ,rule -- ,his ,civility to the ,authoress -- ,a ,man ,who ,did ,not ,know the ,emperor's ,address -- ,paul's ,kindness to ,foreigners -- ,his ,fear of ,assassination -- ,his ,personal ,appearance -- ,the ,empress ,maria -- ,vagaries of a ,half-,mad ,emperor -- ,a ,noble ,prelate #aai ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,family ,,affairs4 ,poniatowski1 ,last ,king of ,poland -- ,his ,amiable ,character -- ,the ,authoress's ,faculty of ,presaging ,death -- ,poniatowski the ,nephew -- ,mme4 ,lebrun ,received as a ,member of the ,st4 ,petersburg ,academy -- ,her ,daughter's ,untoward ,marriage -- ,resulting in ,estrangement ,between ,mother and ,child #aca ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,moscow4 ,journey to ,moscow -- ,a ,bad ,smell and ,its ,origin -- ,first ,impression of ,moscow -- ,another ,impression1 ,oral and ,unpleasing -- ,the ,kremlin -- ,steam-and-,snow ,bathing -- ,society -- ,luxurious ,prince ,kurakin -- ,an ,impossible ,duologue -- ,examples of ,russian ,cleverness -- ,determination to ,return to ,france #adb ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,,good-,,by ,,to ,,russia4 ,departure from ,moscow -- ,news of the ,death of ,paul -- ,particulars of ,his ,assassination -- ,et tu ,brute8 -- ,paul's ,presentiments of ,peril -- ,his ,successor ,not an ,accomplice in the ,crime -- ,alexander ,i4 a ,popular ,monarch -- ,an ,order from an ,imperial ,customer and ,model -- ,farewells to ,friends -- ,among ,them ,czar and ,czarina #aed ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,,homeward ,,bound4 ,first ,station1 ,narva -- ,the ,cataract -- ,riga -- ,hardships of ,travel a ,hundred ,years ,ago -- ,obdurate ,custom-,house ,officials -- ,a ,summons to ,potsdam -- ,the ,loveliest and ,sweetest of ,queens -- ,her ,ugly ,children -- ,an ,ambitious ,cook -- ,the ,journey ,continued -- ,remember ,your ,jewel-,case -- ,modelling in ,dirt for a ,pastime -- ,likewise ,sewing -- ,home ,again #afd ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,,old ,,friends ,,and ,,new4 ,paris ,after the ,revolution -- ,renewing ,old ,acquaintances and ,forming ,new ,ties -- ,rival ,beauties3 ,mme4 ,rcamier and ,mme4 ,tallien -- ,mme4 ,campan -- ,an ,englishwoman's ,slip of the ,tongue -- ,some ,distinguished ,foreigners #agc ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,,unmerry ,,england4 ,london -- ,its ,historic ,piles -- ,and ,dull ,sundays -- ,and ,taciturn ,people -- ,pictures by ,sir ,joshua ,reynolds -- ,his ,modesty -- ,how to ,dry ,pictures in a ,damp ,climate -- ,the ,artistic ,view of a ,certain ,popular ,beauty -- ,the ,prince of ,wales -- ,his ,alleged ,attentions to ,mme4 ,lebrun -- ,the ,authoress ,lectures an ,unfriendly ,critic -- ,news of ,one of ,napoleon's ,atrocious ,crimes #ahb ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,,persons ,,and ,,places ,,in ,,britain4 ,english ,palaces -- ,and ,scenery -- ,suburban ,princes -- ,richmond ,terrace -- ,an ,eccentric ,margravine -- ,the ,charm of the ,isle of ,wight -- ,the ,britons a ,stolid ,nation -- ,their ,indifference to ,rain #aib ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,,bonapartes ,,and ,,bourbons4 ,back in ,paris -- ,the ,devotion of ,mme4 ,grassini -- ,capricious1 ,exacting ,mme4 ,murat -- ,aspects of ,christian ,warfare -- ,kill ,all ,those ,people6 -- ,louis ,,xviii4 ,enters the ,capital -- ,the ,barrenness of ,napoleon's ,victories -- ,his ,successor's ,attainments -- ,bourbon ,characteristics -- ,the ,authoress ,loses ,her ,husband1 ,daughter and ,brother -- ,conclusion #bjj ,,appendix ,list of ,madame ,vige ,lebrun's ,paintings #bae ,,index #bbi ,,list ,,of ,,illustrations ,,madame ,,vig,e ,,lebrun ,,and ,,her ,,daughter ,frontispiece ,facing ,page ,,the ,,duchess ,d',,angoul,,me ,,and ,,her ,,brother1 ,,the ,,dauphin #aj ,,madame ,,vig,e ,,lebrun #af ,marked3 ,virginia ,lebrun1 ,st4 ,luke's ,gallery1 ,rome ,,portrait ,,of ,,the ,,authoress #bj ,,marie ,,antoinette1 ,,done ,,in #aggi #bd ,madame ,lebrun's ,first ,portrait of the ,queen1 ,destined for ,presentation to the ,emperor ,joseph ,,ii4 ,marie ,antoinette ,ordered ,two ,copies1 ,one for the ,emperor of ,russia and ,one for ,herself ,,portrait ,,of ,,marie ,,antoinette ,,and ,,her ,,children #bh ,known as ,the ,royal ,family1 ,exhibited at the ,paris ,salon of #aghh1 the ,year ,before the ,outbreak of the ,revolution ,,madame ,,elisabeth1 ,,sister ,,of ,,louis ,,xvi #cj ,,the ,,dauphin #cb ,son of ,louis ,,xvi4 and ,marie ,antoinette ,,madame ,,lebrun1 ,,the ,,authoress1 ,n,e ,,elisabeth ,,vig,e #cd ,,peace ,,bringing ,,back ,,plenty #cf ,exhibited by ,madame ,lebrun at the ,french ,royal ,academy of ,painting1 on ,her ,election as a ,member of ,that ,institution ,,madame ,,vig,e ,,lebrun ,,and ,,her ,,daughter #db ,,the ,,dauphin ,,of ,,france #ej ,,the ,,baroness ,,de ,,crussol #eh ,,marie ,,caroline1 ,,wife ,,of ,,ferdinand ,,iv4 ,,of ,,naples #fd ,,princess ,,christine1 ,,daughter ,,of ,,ferdinand ,,iv4 ,,of ,,naples #gj ,,marie ,,antoinette1 ,,queen ,,of ,,france #gf ,,queen ,,marie ,,antoinette #hj ,,the ,,princess ,,de ,,talleyrand #ij ,,isabel ,,czartoryska #ajj ,a ,polish ,noblewoman ,,the ,,duchess ,,de ,,polignac #aab ,,queen ,,marie ,,antoinette #abf ,,portrait ,,of ,,the ,,authoress #acb ,painted for the ,uffizi ,gallery at ,florence1 ,where the ,picture ,now ,hangs ,,portrait ,,of ,,mme4 ,,lebrun',s ,,daughter #ach ,in the ,bologna ,gallery ,,madame ,,vig,e ,,lebrun #adf ,,hubert ,,robert #aed ,a ,french ,painter of ,repute1 ,born #agcc1 ,died #ahjh4 ,one of ,madame ,lebrun's ,contemporaries ,a ,,mother ,,and ,,her ,,daughter #afb ,,woman ,,painting #agj 7,identity of sitter uncertain7 ,,madame ,,courcelles #agf ,,the ,,woman ,,with ,,the ,,muff #ahd ,madame ,mol-,raymond1 of the ,comdie-,franaise ,,madame ,,vig,e ,,lebrun #aij ,,genevieve ,,adelaide ,,helvetius1 ,,countess ,d',,andlou #bjb ,,louise ,,marie ,,adelaide ,,de ,,bourbon #baj ,,chapter ,i ,,youth ,,precocious ,,talents ,,manifested -- ,,mlle4 ,,vig,e',s ,,father ,,and ,,mother -- ,,death ,,of ,,her ,,father -- ,a ,,friend ,,of ,,her ,,girlhood -- ,,her ,,mother ,,remarries -- ,,mlle4 ,,vig,e',s ,,first ,,portrait ,,of ,,note 7,,count ,,schouvaloff7 -- ,,acquaintance ,,with ,,mme4 ,,geoffrin -- ,,the ,,authoress',s ,,puritanical ,,bringing-,,up -- ,,male ,,sitters ,,attempt ,,flirtation -- ,,public ,,resorts ,,of ,,paris ,,before ,,the ,,revolution4 ,i will begin by speaking of my childhood1 which is the symbol1 so to say1 of my whole life1 since my love for painting declared itself in my earliest youth4 ,i was sent to a boarding-school at the age of six1 and remained there until ,i was eleven4 ,during that time ,i scrawled on everything at all seasons2 my copy-books1 and even my schoolmates'1 ,i decorated with marginal drawings of heads1 some full-face1 others in profile2 on the walls of the dormitory ,i drew faces and landscapes with coloured chalks4 ,so it may easily be imagined how often ,i was condemned to bread and water4 ,i made use of my leisure moments outdoors in tracing any figures on the ground that happened to come into my head4 ,at seven or eight1 ,i remember1 ,i made a picture by lamplight of a man with a beard1 which ,i have kept until this very day4 ,when my father saw it he went into transports of joy1 exclaiming1 ,you will be a painter1 child1 if ever there was one6 ,i mention these facts to show what an inborn passion for the art ,i possessed4 ,nor has that passion ever diminished2 it seems to me that it has even gone on growing with time1 for to-day ,i feel under the spell of it as much as ever1 and shall1 ,i hope1 until the hour of death4 ,it is1 indeed1 to this divine passion that ,i owe1 not only my fortune1 but my felicity1 because it has always been the means of bringing me together with the most delightful and most distinguished men and women in ,europe4 ,the recollection of all the notable people ,i have known often cheers me in times of solitude4 ,as a schoolgirl my health was frail1 and therefore my parents would frequently come for me to take me to spend a few days with them4 ,this1 of course1 suited my taste exactly4 ,my father1 ,louis ,vige1 made very good pastel drawings2 he did some which would have been worthy of the famous ,latour4 ,my father allowed me to do some heads in that style1 and1 in fact1 let me mess with his crayons all day4 ,he was so wrapt up in his art that he occasionally did queer things from sheer absent-mindedness4 ,i remember how1 one day1 after dressing for a dinner in town1 he went out and almost immediately came back1 it having occurred to him that he would like to touch up a picture recently begun4 ,he removed his wig1 put on a nightcap1 and went out again in this headgear1 with his gilt-frogged coat1 his sword1 etc4 ,had not one of his neighbours stopped him1 he would have exhibited himself in this costume all through the town4 ,he was a very witty man4 ,his natural good spirits infected every one1 and some came to be painted by him for the sake of his amusing conversation4 ,once1 when he was making a portrait of a rather pretty woman1 my father observed1 while he worked at her mouth1 that she made all manner of grimaces in order to make that organ look smaller4 ,falling out of patience with all this maneuvering1 my father quietly remarked3 ,please don't let me give you so much trouble4 ,you have only to say the word and ,i will paint you without a mouth4 ,my mother was an extremely handsome woman4 ,this may be judged from the pastel portrait made of her by my father1 as well as from my own oil painting of a much later date4 ,she carried her goodness to austerity1 and my father worshipped her as though she had been divine4 ,she was very pious1 and1 in heart1 ,i was so1 too4 ,we always heard high mass together1 and were regular attendants at the other church services4 ,especially in ,lent did we never omit any of the prescribed devotions1 evening prayer not excepted4 ,i have always liked sacred singing1 and in those days organ music would often move me to tears4 ,my father was in the habit of inviting various artists and men of letters to his house of an evening4 ,at the head of them ,i must place ,doyen1 the historical painter1 my father's most intimate and my first friend4 ,doyen was the nicest man in the world1 so clever and so good2 his views on persons and things were always exceedingly just1 and moreover he talked about painting with such fervent enthusiasm that it made my heart beat fast to listen to him4 ,poinsinet was very clever1 too1 and gay4 ,perhaps his extraordinary credulity is generally known4 ,as a consequence of it he was continually made game of in the most unheard-of ways4 ,some friends once told him that there was an office called the ,king's ,screen1 and persuaded him to stand before a blazing fire so hot that it nearly roasted his calves4 ,when he attempted to move away1 he was told he must not stir1 but that he must accustom himself to intense heat or he would not get the post4 ,poinsinet was1 however1 far from being a fool4 ,many of his works are still in favour1 and he is the only author who ever gained three dramatic successes in one night3 ,ermeline1 at the ,grand ,opra2 ,the ,circle1 at the ,thtre ,franaise2 ,tom ,jones1 at the ,opra ,comique4 ,some one put it into his head that he had a taste for travel1 so he began with ,spain1 and was drowned while crossing the ,guadalquivir4 ,i may also mention ,davesne1 painter and poet4 ,he was rather mediocre in both arts1 but was bidden to my father's suppers because of his witty conversation4 ,though nothing more than a child1 the jollity of these suppers was a great source of pleasure to me4 ,i was obliged to leave the table before dessert1 but from my room ,i heard the laughter and the joking and the songs4 ,these1 ,i confess1 ,i did not understand2 nevertheless1 they helped to make my holidays delightful4 ,at eleven ,i left the boarding-school for good1 after my first communion4 ,davesne1 who painted in oils1 sent his wife for me to teach me how to mix colours4 ,their poverty grieved me deeply4 ,one day1 when ,i wanted to finish a head ,i had begun1 they made me remain to dinner4 ,the dinner consisted of soup and baked apples4 ,i was overjoyed at not having to leave my parents again4 ,my brother1 three years younger than ,i1 was as lovely as an angel4 ,i was not nearly so lively as he1 and far from being so clever or so pretty4 ,in fact1 at that time of my life ,i was very plain4 ,i had an enormous forehead1 and eyes far too deep-set2 my nose was the only good feature of my pale1 skinny face4 ,besides1 ,i was growing so fast that ,i could not hold myself up straight1 and ,i bent like a willow4 ,these defects were the despair of my mother4 ,i fancy she had a weakness for my brother4 ,at any rate1 she spoiled him and forgave him his youthful sins1 whereas she was very severe toward myself4 ,to make up for it1 my father overwhelmed me with kindness and indulgence4 ,his tender love endeared him more and more to my heart2 and so my good father is ever present to me1 and ,i believe ,i have not forgotten a word he uttered in my hearing4 ,how often1 during #aghi1 did ,i think of something in sort prophetic which he said4 ,he had come home from a philosophers' dinner where he had met ,diderot1 ,helvetius and d',alembert4 ,he was so thoroughly dejected that my mother asked him what the matter was4 ,all ,i have heard to-night1 my dear1 he replied1 makes me believe that the world will soon be turned upside down4 ,i had spent one happy year at home when my father fell ill4 ,after two months of suffering all hope of his recovery was abandoned4 ,when he felt his last moments approaching1 he declared a wish to see my brother and myself4 ,we went close to his bedside1 weeping bitterly4 ,his face was terribly altered2 his eyes and his features1 usually so full of animation1 were quite without expression1 for the pallor and the chill of death were already upon him4 ,we took his icy hand and covered it with kisses and tears4 ,he made a last effort and sat up to give us his blessing4 ,be happy1 my children1 was all he said4 ,an hour later our poor father had ceased to live4 ,so heartbroken was ,i that it was long before ,i felt able to take to my crayons again4 ,doyen came to see us sometimes1 and as he had been my father's best friend his visits were a great consolation4 ,he it was who urged me to resume the occupation ,i loved1 and in which1 to speak truth1 ,i found the only solace for my woe4 ,it was then that ,i began to paint from nature4 ,i accomplished several portraits--pastels and oils4 ,i also drew from nature and from casts1 often working by lamplight with ,mlle4 ,boquet1 with whom ,i was closely acquainted4 ,i went to her house in the evenings2 she lived in the ,rue ,saint ,denis1 where her father had a bric--brac shop4 ,it was a long way off1 since we lodged in the ,rue de ,clry1 opposite the ,lubert mansion4 ,my mother1 therefore1 insisted on my being escorted whenever ,i went4 ,we likewise frequently repaired1 ,mlle4 ,boquet and ,i1 to ,briard's1 a painter1 who lent us his etchings and his classical busts4 ,briard was but a moderate painter1 although he did some ceilings of rather unusual conception4 ,on the other hand1 he could draw admirably1 which was the reason why several young people went to him for lessons4 ,his rooms were in the ,louvre1 and each of us brought her little dinner1 carried in a basket by a nurse1 in order that we might make a long day of it4 ,mlle4 ,boquet was fifteen years old and ,i fourteen4 ,we were rival beauties4 ,i had changed completely and had become good looking4 ,her artistic abilities were considerable2 as for mine1 ,i made such speedy progress that ,i soon was talked about1 and this resulted in my making the gratifying acquaintance of ,joseph ,vernet4 ,that famous painter gave me cordial encouragement and much invaluable advice4 ,i also got to know the ,abb ,arnault1 of the ,french ,academy4 ,he was a man of strong imaginative gifts1 with a passion for literature and the arts4 ,his conversation enriched me with ideas1 if ,i may thus express myself4 ,he would talk of music and painting with the most inspiring ardour4 ,the ,abb was a warm partisan of ,gluck1 and at a later date brought the great composer to see me1 for ,i1 too1 was passionately fond of music4 ,my mother was now proud of my face and figure2 ,i was growing stouter1 and presented the fresh appearance proper to youth4 ,on ,sundays she took me to the ,tuileries4 ,she was still handsome herself1 and after the lapse of all these years ,i am free to confess that the manner in which we were so often followed by men embarrassed more than it flattered me4 ,seeing me so irremediably affected by our cruel loss1 my mother deemed it best to take me out of myself by showing me pictures4 ,thus we went to the ,luxembourg ,palace1 the gallery of which then contained some of ,rubens's masterpieces1 as well as numerous works by the greatest painters4 ,at present nothing is to be seen there but pictures of the modern ,french school4 ,i am the only painter of that class not represented4 ,the old masters have since been removed to the ,louvre4 ,rubens has lost much by the change3 the difference between well or badly lighted pictures is the same as between well or badly played pieces of music4 ,we also saw some rich private collections1 none of which1 however1 equalled that of the ,palais ,royal1 made by the ,regent and containing a conspicuous number of old ,italian masters4 ,as soon as ,i entered one of these galleries ,i at once became exactly like a bee1 so much useful knowledge did ,i eagerly gather while intoxicated with bliss in the contemplation of the great masters4 ,besides1 in order to improve myself1 ,i copied some of the pictures of ,rubens1 some of ,rembrandt's and ,van ,dyck's heads1 as well as several heads of girls by ,greuze1 because these last were a good lesson to me in the demi-tints to be found in delicate flesh colouring4 ,van ,dyck shows them also1 but more finely4 ,it is to these studies that ,i owe my improvement in the very important science of degradation of light on the salient parts of a head1 so admirably done by ,raphael1 whose heads1 it is true1 combine all the perfections4 ,but it is only in ,rome1 under the bright ,italian sky1 that ,raphael can be properly judged4 ,when1 after years1 ,i was enabled to see some of his masterpieces1 which had never left their native home1 ,i recognised ,raphael to be above his high renown4 ,my father had left us penniless4 ,but ,i was earning a deal of money1 as ,i was already painting many portraits4 ,this1 however1 was insufficient for household expenses1 seeing that in addition ,i had to pay for my brother's schooling1 his clothes1 his books1 and so on4 ,my mother1 therefore1 saw herself obliged to remarry4 ,she took a rich jeweller1 whom we never had suspected of avarice1 but who directly after the marriage displayed his stinginess by limiting us to the absolute necessities of life1 although ,i was good-natured enough to hand him over everything ,i earned4 ,joseph ,vernet was greatly enraged2 he counselled me to grant an annuity and to keep the rest for myself4 ,but ,i did not comply with this advice4 ,i was afraid my mother might suffer in consequence1 with such a skinflint4 ,i detested the man1 the more as he had appropriated my father's wardrobe and wore all the clothes just as they were1 without having them altered to fit him4 ,my young reputation attracted a number of strangers to our house4 ,several distinguished personages came to see me1 among them the notorious ,count ,orloff1 one of ,peter the ,third's assassins4 ,count ,orloff was a giant in stature1 and ,i remember his wearing a diamond of enormous size in a ring4 ,about this time ,i painted a portrait of ,count ,schouvaloff1 ,grand ,chamberlain1 then1 ,i believe1 about sixty years old4 ,he combined amiability with perfect manners1 and1 as he was an excellent man1 was sought after by the best company4 ,one of my visitors of eminence was ,mme4 ,geoffrin1 the woman so famous for her brilliant social life4 ,mme4 ,geoffrin gathered at her house all the known men of talent in literature and the arts1 all foreigners of note and the grandest gentlemen attached to the court4 ,being neither of good family nor endowed with unusual abilities1 nor even possessing much money1 she had nevertheless made a position for herself in ,paris unique of its kind1 and one that no woman could nowadays hope to achieve4 ,having heard me spoken of1 she came to see me one morning and said the most flattering things about my person and my gifts4 ,although she was not very old1 ,i should have put her down for a hundred1 for not only was she rather bent1 but her dress gave her an aged appearance4 ,she was clad in an iron-gray gown1 and on her head wore a large1 winged cap1 over which was a black shawl knotted under her chin4 ,at present1 on the other hand1 women of her years succeed in making themselves look much younger by the care they bestow on their toilet4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,duchess ,d',,angoul,,me ,,and ,,her ,,brother1 ,,the ,,dauphin4 ,immediately after my mother's marriage we went to live at my stepfather's in the ,rue ,saint ,honor1 opposite the terrace of the ,palais ,royal1 which terrace our windows overlooked4 ,i often saw the ,duchess de ,chartres walking in the garden with her ladies-in-waiting1 and soon observed that she noticed me with kindly interest4 ,i had recently finished a portrait of my mother which evoked a great deal of discussion at the time4 ,the ,duchess sent for me to come and paint her4 ,she most obligingly commended my young talents to her friends1 so that it was not long before ,i received a visit from the stately1 handsome ,countess de ,brionne and her lovely daughter1 the ,princess de ,lorraine1 who were followed by all the great ladies of the court and the ,faubourg ,saint ,germain4 ,since ,i have acknowledged that ,i was stared at in the streets--the same is true of the theatres and other public places--and that ,i was the object of many attentions1 it may readily be guessed that some admirers of my face gave me commissions to paint theirs4 ,they hoped to get into my good graces in this way4 ,but ,i was so absorbed in my art that nothing could take me away from it4 ,then1 besides1 the moral and religious principles my mother had instilled me with were a strong protection against the seductions surrounding me4 ,happily ,i never as yet had read a single novel4 ,the first ,i read1 ,clarissa ,harlowe1 was only after my marriage1 and it interested me prodigiously4 ,before my marriage ,i read nothing but sacred literature1 such as the moral precepts of the ,holy ,fathers1 which contained everything one needs to know1 and some of my brother's class-books4 ,to return to those gentlemen4 ,as soon as ,i observed any intention on their part of making sheep's eyes at me1 ,i would paint them looking in another direction than mine1 and then1 at the least movement of the pupilla1 would say1 ,i am doing the eyes now4 ,this vexed them a little1 of course1 but my mother1 who was always present1 and whom ,i had taken into my confidence1 was secretly amused4 ,on ,sundays and saints' days1 after hearing high mass1 my mother and my stepfather took me to the ,palais ,royal for a walk4 ,the gardens were then far more spacious and beautiful than they are now1 strangled and straightened by the houses enclosing them4 ,there was a very broad and long avenue on the left arched by gigantic trees1 which formed a vault impenetrable to the rays of the sun4 ,there good society assembled in its best clothes4 ,the opera house was hard by the palace4 ,in summer the performance ended at half-past eight1 and all elegant people left even before it was over1 in order to ramble in the garden4 ,it was the fashion for the women to wear huge nosegays1 which1 added to the perfumed powder sprinkled in everybody's hair1 really made the air one breathed quite fragrant4 ,later1 yet still before the ,revolution1 ,i have known these assemblies to last until two in the morning4 ,there was music by moonlight1 out in the open2 artists and amateurs sang songs2 there was playing on the harp and the guitar2 the celebrated ,saint ,georges often executed pieces on his violin4 ,crowds flocked to the spot4 ,we never entered this avenue1 ,mlle4 ,boquet and ,i1 without attracting lively attention4 ,we both were then between sixteen and seventeen years old1 ,mlle4 ,boquet being a great beauty4 ,at nineteen she was taken with the smallpox1 which called forth such general interest that numbers from all classes of society made anxious inquiries1 and a string of carriages was constantly drawn up outside her door4 ,she had a remarkable talent for painting1 but she gave up the pursuit almost immediately after her marriage with ,m4 ,filleul1 when the ,queen made her ,gatekeeper of the ,castle of ,la ,muette4 ,would that ,i could speak of the dear creature without calling her dreadful end to mind4 ,alas6 how well ,i remember ,mme4 ,filleul saying to me1 on the eve of my departure from ,france1 when ,i was to escape from the horrors ,i foresaw3 ,you are wrong to go4 ,i intend to stay1 because ,i believe in the happiness the ,revolution is to bring us4 ,and that ,revolution took her to the scaffold6 ,before she quitted ,la ,muette the ,terror had begun4 ,mme4 ,chalgrin1 a daughter of ,joseph ,vernet1 and ,mme4 ,filleul's bosom friend1 came to the castle to celebrate her daughter's wedding--quietly1 as a matter of course4 ,however1 the next day the ,jacobins none the less proceeded to arrest ,mme4 ,filleul and ,mme4 ,chalgrin1 who1 they said1 had wasted the candles of the nation4 ,a few days later they were both guillotined4 ,among the favourite walks were the ,temple boulevards4 ,every day1 though especially on ,thursdays1 hundreds of vehicles drove or stood in the roads where the cafs and shows still are4 ,the young men on horseback caracoled about the carriages1 as they did at ,longchamps1 for ,longchamps was already in existence and even very brilliant4 ,the side paths were full of immense throngs of pedestrians1 enjoying the pastime of admiring or criticising all the lovely ladies1 dressed in their best1 who passed in fine carriages4 ,at a certain spot1 where the ,caf ,turc now stands1 a spectacle was to be seen which many a time made me burst into loud laughter4 ,it was a long row of old women belonging to the ,marais quarter1 sitting gravely on chairs1 their faces so thickly rouged that they looked precisely like dolls4 ,as at that date the right to wear rouge was only conceded to women of high rank1 these worthy ladies thought they must take advantage of the privilege to its full limit4 ,one of our friends1 who knew most of them1 told us that their only employment at home was to play lotto from morning till night4 ,he also said that one day1 after he had returned from ,versailles1 some of them had asked him the news1 that he had replied ,m4 de ,la ,prouse was to make a journey round the world1 and that the hostess had thereupon exclaimed3 ,gracious6 ,what a lot of time the man must have on his hands6 ,years later1 long after my marriage1 ,i saw various little shows on this very boulevard4 ,at one only did ,i attend often2 that was ,carlo ,perico's ,fantoccini1 which amused me vastly4 ,these marionettes were so cleverly made1 and their gestures were so natural1 that the delusion sometimes succeeded4 ,my little girl1 six years old almost1 did not at first suspect that the figures were not alive4 ,i informed her as to the truth1 and when1 soon after1 ,i took her to the ,comdie ,franaise1 where my box was rather far from the stage1 she asked me1 ,and those1 mamma1 are they alive8 ,the ,coliseum was another highly fashionable resort4 ,it was established in one of the large squares of the ,champs lyses1 in the form of a vast rotunda4 ,in the middle was a lake of clear water1 on which boatmen's races were held4 ,you strolled round about in broad1 gravelled avenues lined with benches4 ,at nightfall every one left the garden to meet in a great hall where a full orchestra dispensed excellent music4 ,at this period there also was on the ,temple boulevard a place called the ,summer ,vauxhall1 whose garden was simply a big space for walking in1 bordered by covered tiers of seats for the convenience of good society4 ,people gathered there before dark in warm weather1 and the diversions of the day closed with a grand display of fireworks4 ,all these places were frequented much more than ,tivoli is to-day4 ,it is surprising1 too1 that the ,parisians1 who have nothing but the ,tuileries and the ,luxembourg1 should have renounced those other resorts1 which were half urban and half rural1 where you went in the evening to get a breath of air and eat ices4 ,,chapter ,,ii ,,up ,,the ,,ladder ,,of ,,fame ,,tedious ,,sojourn ,,in ,,the ,,country -- ,,social ,,amenities ,,in ,,paris -- ,,mlle4 ,,vig,e ,,becomes ,,mme4 ,,lebrun -- ,,prognostications ,,of ,,unhappy ,,wedlock -- ,,on ,,the ,,ladder ,,of ,,fame -- ,,singularities ,,of ,,oriental ,,taste -- ,,marie ,,antoinette ,,as ,a ,,model -- ,,painting ,,the ,,royal ,,family -- ,,how ,,louis ,,xviii4 ,,sang -- ,,the ,,princess ,,de ,,lamballe4 ,my detestable stepfather1 annoyed no doubt by the public admiration shown my mother1 forbade us to go for any more walks1 and informed us that he was about to take a place in the country4 ,at this announcement my heart beat with joy1 for ,i was passionately fond of the country4 ,i had been sleeping near the foot of my mother's bedstead1 in a dark corner where the light of day never penetrated4 ,every morning1 whatever the weather might be1 my first care was to open the window wide1 such was my thirst for fresh air4 ,so my stepfather took a small cottage at ,chaillot1 and we went there on ,saturday1 spent ,sunday there1 and returned to ,paris on ,monday morning4 ,good heavens1 what a country6 ,imagine a tiny vicarage garden1 without a tree1 without any shelter from the blazing sun but a little arbour1 where my stepfather had planted some beans and nasturtium1 which refused to grow4 ,at that we only occupied a quarter of this delightful garden1 for it was divided into four by slender railings1 and the three other sections were let out to shopboys1 who came every ,sunday and amused themselves by shooting at the birds4 ,the incessant noise threw me into a desperate state of mind1 besides which ,i was terribly afraid of being killed by these marksmen1 so inaccurate was their aim4 ,i could not understand why this stupid1 ugly place1 the very recollection of which makes me yawn as ,i write1 was the country4 ,at last my good angel brought to my rescue a friend of my mother's1 who one day came to dine with us at ,chaillot with her husband4 ,both were sorry for me in my exile1 and sometimes took me out for a charming drive4 ,illustration3 ,,madame ,,vig,e ,,lebrun ,marked3 ,virginia ,lebrun1 ,st4 ,luke's ,gallery1 ,rome4 ,we went to ,marly-le-,roi1 and there ,i found a more beautiful spot than any ,i had seen in my life4 ,on each side of the magnificent palace were six summer-houses communicating with one another by walks embowered with jessamine and honeysuckle4 ,water fell in cascades from the top of a hill behind the castle1 and formed a large channel on which a number of swans floated4 ,the handsome trees1 the carpets of green1 the flowers1 the fountains1 one of which spouted up so high that it was lost from sight--it was all grand1 all regal2 it all spoke of ,louis ,,xiv4 ,one morning ,i met ,queen ,marie ,antoinette walking in the park with several of the ladies of her court4 ,they were all in white dresses1 and so young and pretty that for a moment ,i thought ,i was in a dream4 ,i was with my mother1 and was turning away when the ,queen was kind enough to stop me1 and invited me to continue in any direction ,i might prefer4 ,alas6 when ,i returned to ,france in #ahjb ,i hastened to see my noble1 smiling ,marly4 ,the palace1 the trees1 the cascades1 and the fountains had all disappeared2 scarcely a stone was left4 ,i found it very hard to quit those lovely gardens and go back to our hideous ,chaillot4 ,but we at last went back to ,paris1 and settled there for the winter4 ,the time left over from my work ,i now spent in a most agreeable manner4 ,from the age of fifteen ,i had been going out into the best society2 and ,i knew all the celebrated artists1 so that ,i received invitations from all sides4 ,i very well remember the first time ,i dined in town with the sculptor ,le ,moine1 who was then enjoying a great reputation4 ,it was there ,i met the famous actor ,lekain1 who struck terror into my heart because of his wild and sinister appearance2 his huge eyebrows only added to the fierce expression of his face4 ,he scarcely talked at all1 and ate enormously4 ,at ,le ,moine's ,i made the acquaintance of ,gerbier1 the noted advocate1 and of his daughter ,mme4 de ,roissy1 who was very beautiful1 and one of the first women ,i made a portrait of4 ,grtry and ,latour1 an eminent pastellist1 often came to these dinners at ,le ,moine's1 which were highly convivial and amusing4 ,it was then the custom to sing at dessert4 ,when the turn of the young ladies came--to whom1 ,i must admit1 this custom was torture--they would turn pale and tremble all over1 and consequently often sing very much out of tune4 ,in spite of these dissonances1 the dinners ended pleasantly1 and we always rose from the table with regret1 although we did not immediately order our carriages1 as the fashion is to-day4 ,i cannot1 however1 speak of the dinners of the present day excepting through hearsay1 in view of the fact that soon after the time ,i have just mentioned ,i stopped dining in town for good4 ,a slight adventure ,i had made me determine to go out only in the evening4 ,i had accepted an invitation to dine with ,princess ,rohan-,rochefort4 ,all dressed and ready to get into my carriage1 ,i was seized with a sudden desire to take a look at a portrait that ,i had begun that same morning4 ,i had on a white satin dress1 which ,i was wearing for the first time4 ,i sat down on my chair opposite my easel without noticing that my palette was lying on the chair4 ,it may readily be conceived that the state of my gown was such as to compel me to remain at home1 and ,i resolved thenceforth to accept no invitations excepting to supper4 ,the dinners of ,princess ,rohan-,rochefort were delightful4 ,the nucleus of the society was composed of the handsome ,countess de ,brionne and her daughter the ,princess ,lorraine1 the ,duke de ,choiseul1 the ,cardinal de ,rohan1 and ,m4 de ,rulhires1 the author of the ,disputes2 but the most agreeable without question of all the guests was the ,duke de ,lauzun2 no one could possibly have been cleverer or more entertaining2 we were all fascinated by him4 ,the evening was usually filled up with playing and singing1 and ,i often sang to my own accompaniment on the guitar4 ,supper was at half-past ten2 we were never more than ten or twelve at table4 ,we all vied with one another in sociability and wit4 ,as for me1 ,i was only a humble listener1 and1 although too young to appreciate the qualities of this conversation to the full1 it spoiled me for ordinary conversation4 ,my life as a young girl was very unusual4 ,not only did my talent--feeble as it seemed to me when ,i thought of the great masters--cause me to be sought after and welcomed by society1 but ,i sometimes was the object of attentions which ,i might call public1 and of which1 ,i avow1 ,i was very proud4 ,for example1 ,i had made portraits of ,cardinal ,fleury and ,la ,bruyre1 copied from engravings of ancient date4 ,i made a gift of them to the ,french ,academy1 which sent me a very flattering letter through the permanent secretary1 d',alembert4 ,my presentation of these two portraits to the ,academy also secured me the honour of a visit from d',alembert1 a dried up morsel of a man of exquisitely polished manners4 ,he stayed a long time and looked my study all over1 while he paid me a thousand compliments4 ,after he had gone1 a fine lady1 who happened to be visiting me at the same time1 asked me whether ,i had painted ,la ,bruyre and ,fleury from life4 ,i am a little too young for that1 ,i answered1 unable to refrain from a laugh1 but very glad for the sake of the lady that the ,academician had left before she put her funny question4 ,my stepfather having retired from business1 we took up residence at the ,lubert mansion1 in the ,rue de ,clry4 ,m4 ,lebrun had just bought the house and lived there himself1 and as soon as we were settled in it ,i began to examine the splendid masterpieces of all schools with which his lodgings were filled4 ,i was enchanted at an opportunity of first-hand acquaintance with these works by great masters4 ,m4 ,lebrun was so obliging as to lend me1 for purposes of copying1 some of his handsomest and most valuable paintings4 ,thus ,i owed him the best lessons ,i could conceivably have obtained1 when1 after a lapse of six months1 he asked my hand in marriage4 ,i was far from wishing to become his wife1 though he was very well built and had a pleasant face4 ,i was then twenty years old1 and was living without anxiety as to the future1 since ,i was already earning a deal of money1 so that ,i felt no manner of inclination for matrimony4 ,but my mother1 who believed ,m4 ,lebrun to be very rich1 incessantly plied me with arguments in favour of accepting such an advantageous match4 ,at last ,i decided in the affirmative1 urged especially by the desire to escape from the torture of living with my stepfather1 whose bad temper had increased day by day since he had relinquished active pursuits4 ,so little1 however1 did ,i feel inclined to sacrifice my liberty that1 even on my way to church1 ,i kept saying to myself1 ,shall ,i say yes1 or shall ,i say no8 ,alas6 ,i said yes1 and in so doing exchanged present troubles for others4 ,not that ,m4 ,lebrun was a cruel man3 his character exhibited a mixture of gentleness and liveliness2 he was extremely obliging to everybody1 and1 in a word1 quite an agreeable person4 ,but his furious passion for gambling was at the bottom of the ruin of his fortune and my own1 of which he had the entire disposal1 so that in #aghi1 when ,i quitted ,france1 ,i had not an income of twenty francs1 although ,i had earned more than a million4 ,he had squandered it all4 ,illustration3 ,,portrait ,,of ,,the ,,authoress4 ,my marriage was kept secret for some time4 ,m4 ,lebrun1 who was supposed to marry the daughter of a ,dutchman with whom he did a great business in pictures1 asked me to make no announcement until he had wound up his affairs4 ,to this ,i consented the more willingly that ,i did not give up my maiden name without regret1 particularly as ,i was so well known by that name4 ,but the keeping of the secret1 which did not last long1 was nevertheless fraught with disastrous consequences for my future4 ,a number of people who simply believed that ,i was merely considering a match with ,m4 ,lebrun came to advise me to commit no such piece of folly4 ,auber1 the crown jeweller1 said to me in a friendly spirit3 ,it would be better for you to tie a stone to your neck and jump into the river than to marry ,lebrun4 ,another day the ,duchess d',aremberg1 accompanied by ,mme4 de ,canillas1 and ,mme4 de ,souza1 the ,portuguese ,ambassadress1 all very young and pretty1 came to offer their belated counsels a fortnight after the knot had been tied4 ,for heaven's sake1 exclaimed the ,countess1 on no account marry ,m4 ,lebrun6 ,you will be miserable if you do6 ,and then she told me a lot of things which ,i was happy enough to disbelieve1 but which only proved too true afterward4 ,the announcement of my marriage put an end to these sad warnings1 which1 thanks to my dear painting1 had little effect on my usual good spirits4 ,i could not meet the orders for portraits that were showered upon me from every side4 ,m4 ,lebrun soon got into the habit of pocketing my fees4 ,he also hit upon the idea of making me give lessons in order to increase our revenues4 ,i acceded to his wishes without a moment's thought4 ,the number of portraits ,i painted at this time was really prodigious4 ,as ,i detested the female style of dress then in fashion1 ,i bent all my efforts upon rendering it a little more picturesque1 and was delighted when1 after getting the confidence of my models1 ,i was able to drape them according to my fancy4 ,shawls were not yet worn1 but ,i made an arrangement with broad scarfs lightly intertwined round the body and on the arms1 which was an attempt to imitate the beautiful drapings of ,raphael and ,domenichino4 ,the picture of my daughter playing the guitar is an example4 ,besides1 ,i could not endure powder4 ,i persuaded the handsome ,duchess de ,grammont-,caderousse to put none on for her sittings4 ,her hair was ebony black1 and ,i divided it on the forehead1 disposing it in irregular curls4 ,after the sitting1 which ended at the dinner hour1 the ,duchess would not change her head-dress1 but go to the theatre as she was4 ,a woman of such good looks would1 of course1 set a fashion3 indeed1 this mode of doing the hair soon found imitators1 and then gradually became general4 ,this reminds me that in #aghf1 when ,i was painting the ,queen1 ,i begged her to use no powder1 and to part her hair on the forehead4 ,i should be the last to follow that fashion1 said the ,queen1 laughing2 ,i do not want people to say that ,i adopted it to hide my large forehead4 ,as ,i said1 ,i was overwhelmed with orders and was very much in vogue4 ,soon after my marriage ,i was present at a meeting of the ,french ,academy at which ,la ,harpe read his discourse on the talents of women4 ,when he arrived at certain lines of exaggerated praise1 which ,i was hearing for the first time1 and in which he extolled my art and likened my smile to that of ,venus1 the author of ,warwick threw a glance at me4 ,at once the whole assembly1 without excepting the ,duchess de ,chartres and the ,king of ,sweden--who both were witnessing the ceremonies--rose up1 turned in my direction1 and applauded with such enthusiasm that ,i almost fainted from confusion4 ,but these pleasures of gratified vanity were far from comparable with the joy ,i experienced in looking forward to motherhood4 ,i will not attempt to describe the transports ,i felt when ,i heard the first cry of my child4 ,every mother knows what those feelings are4 ,not long before that event ,i painted the ,duchess de ,mazarin1 who was no longer young1 but whose beauty had not yet faded4 ,this ,duchess de ,mazarin was said to have been endowed on her birth by three fairies1 ,wealth1 ,duty and ,ill-luck4 ,certain it is that the poor woman could undertake nothing1 not even so much as entertaining a party of friends1 without some mishap befalling4 ,a number of tales of all sorts of untoward happenings were current4 ,here is one of the least known3 ,one evening1 having sixty people to supper1 she conceived the plan of putting on the table an enormous pie1 in which were imprisoned a hundred tiny living birds4 ,at a sign from the ,duchess the pie was opened1 and the whole fluttering flock beat their wings against the faces of the guests and took refuge in the hair of the women1 making nests of their elaborately built-up head-dresses4 ,it may be imagined what consternation and excitement there was6 ,it was impossible to get rid of the unfortunate birds1 and at last the company was obliged to leave the table1 while they blessed such a silly trick4 ,the ,duchess de ,mazarin was very stout2 it took hours to lace her4 ,one day1 while she was being laced1 a visitor was announced4 ,one of her maids ran to the door and exclaimed3 ,you can't come in until we have arranged her meat4 ,i remember that this excessive corpulency evoked the admiration of the ,turkish ,ambassadors4 ,when asked at the opera to point out the woman that pleased them most of all the occupants of the boxes1 they pointed without hesitation to the ,duchess de ,mazarin--because she was the fattest4 ,while speaking of ambassadors1 ,i must not forget to say how ,i once painted two diplomats1 who1 though they were copper-coloured1 nevertheless had splendid heads4 ,in #aghh some envoys were sent to ,paris by the ,emperor ,tippoo ,sahib4 ,i saw these ,indians at the opera and they appeared to me so remarkably picturesque that ,i thought ,i should like to paint them4 ,but as they communicated to their interpreter that they would never allow themselves to be painted unless the request came from the ,king1 ,i managed to secure that favour from ,his ,majesty4 ,i repaired to the hotel where the strangers were lodging1 for they wanted to be painted at home4 ,on my arrival one of them brought in a jar of rose-water1 with which he sprinkled my hands2 then the tallest1 whose name was ,davich ,kahn1 gave me a sitting4 ,i did him standing1 with his hand on his dagger4 ,he threw himself into such an easy1 natural position of his own accord that ,i did not make him change it4 ,i let the paint dry in another room1 and began on the portrait of the old ambassador1 whom ,i represented seated with his son next to him4 ,the father especially had a magnificent head4 ,both were clad in flowing robes of white muslin worked with golden flowers1 and these robes1 a sort of long tunic with wide1 upturned sleeves1 were held in place by gorgeous belts4 ,mme4 de ,bonneuil1 to whom ,i had spoken of my artistic sittings1 very much wanted to see these ambassadors4 ,they invited us both to dinner1 and we accepted from sheer curiosity4 ,upon entering the dining-room we were rather surprised to see that the dinner was served on the floor1 which obliged us to assume an attitude that was very much like lying down1 following the example of our ,oriental hosts4 ,they helped us with their hands to the contents of the dishes4 ,in one of these was a fricassee of sheep's feet with white sauce1 highly spiced1 and in another some indescribable hash4 ,our meal was not exactly pleasant2 it was rather too much of a shock to us to see those brown hands used as spoons4 ,the ambassadors had brought a young man with them who spoke a little ,french4 ,during my sittings ,mme4 de ,bonneuil taught him to sing a popular ditty4 ,when we went to make our farewells the young man recited his song1 and expressed his regret in parting from us by adding3 ,ah6 my heart6 how it weepeth6 which ,i found very ,oriental and very well put4 ,illustration3 ,,marie ,,antoinette1 ,,done ,,in #aggi ,mme4 ,lebrun's ,first ,portrait of the ,queen1 ,destined for ,presentation to the ,emperor ,joseph ,,ii4 ,marie ,antoinette ,ordered ,two ,copies1 ,one for the ,emperor of ,russia and ,one for ,herself4 ,when ,davich ,kahn's portrait was dry ,i sent for it1 but he had hidden it behind his bed and would not give it up1 asserting that the picture still needed a soul4 ,i could only obtain my painting by employing strategy4 ,when the ambassador could not find it he put the responsibility on his valet1 and threatened to kill him4 ,the interpreter had all the trouble in the world to explain that it was not the custom to kill one's valet in ,paris1 and informed him1 moreover1 that the ,king of ,france had asked for the portrait4 ,it was in the year #aggi that ,i painted the ,queen for the first time2 she was then in the heyday of her youth and beauty4 ,marie ,antoinette was tall and admirably built1 being somewhat stout1 but not excessively so4 ,her arms were superb1 her hands small and perfectly formed1 and her feet charming4 ,she had the best walk of any woman in ,france1 carrying her head erect with a dignity that stamped her queen in the midst of her whole court1 her majestic mien1 however1 not in the least diminishing the sweetness and amiability of her face4 ,to any one who has not seen the ,queen it is difficult to get an idea of all the graces and all the nobility combined in her person4 ,her features were not regular2 she had inherited that long and narrow oval peculiar to the ,austrian nation4 ,her eyes were not large2 in colour they were almost blue1 and they were at the same time merry and kind4 ,her nose was slender and pretty1 and her mouth not too large1 though her lips were rather thick4 ,but the most remarkable thing about her face was the splendour of her complexion4 ,i never have seen one so brilliant1 and brilliant is the word1 for her skin was so transparent that it bore no umber in the painting4 ,neither could ,i render the real effect of it as ,i wished4 ,i had no colours to paint such freshness1 such delicate tints1 which were hers alone1 and which ,i had never seen in any other woman4 ,at the first sitting the imposing air of the ,queen at first frightened me greatly1 but ,her ,majesty spoke to me so graciously that my fear was soon dissipated4 ,it was on that occasion that ,i began the picture representing her with a large basket1 wearing a satin dress1 and holding a rose in her hand4 ,this portrait was destined for her brother1 ,emperor ,joseph ,,ii41 and the ,queen ordered two copies besides--one for the ,empress of ,russia1 the other for her own apartments at ,versailles or ,fontainebleau4 ,i painted various pictures of the ,queen at different times4 ,in one ,i did her to the knees1 in a pale orange-red dress1 standing before a table on which she was arranging some flowers in a vase4 ,it may be well imagined that ,i preferred to paint her in a plain gown and especially without a wide hoopskirt4 ,she usually gave these portraits to her friends or to foreign diplomatic envoys4 ,one of them shows her with a straw hat on1 and a white muslin dress1 whose sleeves are turned up1 though quite neatly4 ,when this work was exhibited at the ,salon1 malignant folk did not fail to make the remark that the ,queen had been painted in her chemise1 for we were then in #aghf1 and calumny was already busy concerning her4 ,yet in spite of all this the portraits were very successful4 ,toward the end of the exhibition a little piece was given at the ,vaudeville ,theatre1 bearing the title1 ,i think1 ,the ,assembling of the ,arts4 ,brongniart1 the architect1 and his wife1 whom the author had taken into his confidence1 had taken a box on the first tier1 and called for me on the day of the first performance4 ,as ,i had no suspicion of the surprise in store for me1 judge of my emotion when ,painting appeared on the scene and ,i saw the actress representing that art copy me in the act of painting a portrait of the ,queen4 ,the same moment everybody in the parterre and the boxes turned toward me and applauded to bring the roof down4 ,i can hardly believe that any one was ever more moved and more grateful than ,i was that evening4 ,i was so fortunate as to be on very pleasant terms with the ,queen4 ,when she heard that ,i had something of a voice we rarely had a sitting without singing some duets by ,grtry together1 for she was exceedingly fond of music1 although she did not sing very true4 ,as for her conversation1 it would be difficult for me to convey all its charm1 all its affability4 ,i do not think that ,queen ,marie ,antoinette ever missed an opportunity of saying something pleasant to those who had the honour of being presented to her1 and the kindness she always bestowed upon me has ever been one of my sweetest memories4 ,one day ,i happened to miss the appointment she had given me for a sitting2 ,i had suddenly become unwell4 ,the next day ,i hastened to ,versailles to offer my excuses4 ,the ,queen was not expecting me2 she had had her horses harnessed to go out driving1 and her carriage was the first thing ,i saw on entering the palace yard4 ,i nevertheless went upstairs to speak with the chamberlains on duty4 ,one of them1 ,m4 ,campan1 received me with a stiff and haughty manner1 and bellowed at me in his stentorian voice1 ,it was yesterday1 madame1 that ,her ,majesty expected you1 and ,i am very sure she is going out driving1 and ,i am very sure she will give you no sitting to-day6 ,upon my reply that ,i had simply come to take ,her ,majesty's orders for another day1 he went to the ,queen1 who at once had me conducted to her room4 ,she was finishing her toilet1 and was holding a book in her hand1 hearing her daughter repeat a lesson4 ,my heart was beating violently1 for ,i knew that ,i was in the wrong4 ,but the ,queen looked up at me and said most amiably1 ,i was waiting for you all the morning yesterday2 what happened to you8 ,i am sorry to say1 ,your ,majesty1 ,i replied1 ,i was so ill that ,i was unable to comply with ,your ,majesty's commands4 ,i am here to receive more now1 and then ,i will immediately retire4 ,no1 no6 ,do not go6 exclaimed the ,queen4 ,i do not want you to have made your journey for nothing6 ,she revoked the order for her carriage and gave me a sitting4 ,i remember that1 in my confusion and my eagerness to make a fitting response to her kind words1 ,i opened my paint-box so excitedly that ,i spilled my brushes on the floor4 ,i stooped down to pick them up4 ,never mind1 never mind1 said the ,queen1 and1 for aught ,i could say1 she insisted on gathering them all up herself4 ,when the ,queen went for the last time to ,fontainebleau1 where the court1 according to custom1 was to appear in full gala1 ,i repaired there to enjoy that spectacle4 ,i saw the ,queen in her grandest dress2 she was covered with diamonds1 and as the brilliant sunshine fell upon her she seemed to me nothing short of dazzling4 ,her head1 erect on her beautiful ,greek neck1 lent her as she walked such an imposing1 such a majestic air1 that one seemed to see a goddess in the midst of her nymphs4 ,during the first sitting ,i had with ,her ,majesty after this occasion ,i took the liberty of mentioning the impression she had made upon me1 and of saying to the ,queen how the carriage of her head added to the nobility of her bearing4 ,she answered in a jesting tone1 ,if ,i were not ,queen they would say ,i looked insolent1 would they not8 ,illustration3 ,,portrait ,,of ,,marie ,,antoinette ,,and ,,her ,,children ,known as ,the ,royal ,family4 ,exhibited at the ,paris ,salon of #aghh1 the ,year ,before the ,outbreak of the ,revolution4 ,the ,queen neglected nothing to impart to her children the courteous and gracious manners which endeared her so to all her surroundings4 ,i once saw her make her six-year-old daughter dine with a little peasant girl and attend to her wants4 ,the ,queen saw to it that the little visitor was served first1 saying to her daughter1 ,you must do the honours4 ,the last sitting ,i had with ,her ,majesty was given me at ,trianon1 where ,i did her hair for the large picture in which she appeared with her children4 ,after doing the ,queen's hair1 as well as separate studies of the ,dauphin1 ,madame ,royale1 and the ,duke de ,normandie1 ,i busied myself with my picture1 to which ,i attached great importance1 and ,i had it ready for the ,salon of #aghh4 ,the frame1 which had been taken there alone1 was enough to evoke a thousand malicious remarks4 ,that's how the money goes1 they said1 and a number of other things which seemed to me the bitterest comments4 ,at last ,i sent my picture1 but ,i could not muster up the courage to follow it and find out what its fate was to be1 so afraid was ,i that it would be badly received by the public4 ,in fact1 ,i became quite ill with fright4 ,i shut myself in my room1 and there ,i was1 praying to the ,lord for the success of my ,royal ,family1 when my brother and a host of friends burst in to tell me that my picture had met with universal acclaim4 ,after the ,salon1 the ,king1 having had the picture transferred to ,versailles1 ,m4 d',angevilliers1 then minister of the fine arts and director of royal residences1 presented me to ,his ,majesty4 ,louis ,,xvi4 vouchsafed to talk to me at some length and to tell me that he was very much pleased4 ,then he added1 still looking at my work1 ,i know nothing about painting1 but you make me like it4 ,the picture was placed in one of the rooms at ,versailles1 and the ,queen passed it going to mass and returning4 ,after the death of the ,dauphin1 which occurred early in the year #aghi1 the sight of this picture reminded her so keenly of the cruel loss she had suffered that she could not go through the room without shedding tears4 ,she then ordered ,m4 d',angevilliers to have the picture taken away1 but with her usual consideration she informed me of the fact as well1 apprising me of her motive for the removal4 ,it is really to the ,queen's sensitiveness that ,i owed the preservation of my picture1 for the fishwives who soon afterward came to ,versailles for ,their ,majesties would certainly have destroyed it1 as they did the ,queen's bed1 which was ruthlessly torn apart4 ,i never had the felicity of setting eyes on ,marie ,antoinette after the last court ball at ,versailles4 ,the ball was given in the theatre1 and the box where ,i was seated was so situated that ,i could hear what the ,queen said4 ,i observed that she was very excited1 asking the young men of the court to dance with her1 such as ,m4 ,lameth1 whose family had been overwhelmed with kindness by the ,queen1 and others1 who all refused1 so that many of the dances had to be given up4 ,the conduct of these gentlemen seemed to me exceedingly improper2 somehow their refusal likened a sort of revolt--the prelude to revolts of a more serious kind4 ,the ,revolution was drawing near2 it was1 in fact1 to burst out before long4 ,with the exception of the ,count d',artois1 whose portrait ,i never did1 ,i successively painted the whole royal family--the royal children2 ,monsieur1 the ,king's brother1 afterward ,louis ,,xviii42 ,madame ,royale2 the ,countess d',artois2 ,madame ,elisabeth4 ,the features of this last-named ,princess were not regular1 but her face expressed gentle affability1 and the freshness of her complexion was remarkable2 altogether1 she had the charm of a pretty shepherdess4 ,she was an angel of goodness4 ,many a time have ,i been a witness to her deeds of charity on behalf of the poor4 ,all the virtues were in her heart3 she was indulgent1 modest1 compassionate1 devoted4 ,in the ,revolution she displayed heroic courage2 she was seen going forward to meet the cannibals who had come to murder the ,queen1 saying1 ,they will mistake me for her6 ,illustration3 ,,madame ,,elisabeth1 ,,sister ,,of ,,louis ,,xvi4 ,the portrait ,i made of ,monsieur favoured me with the occasion to become acquainted with a prince whose wit and learning one could extol without flattery2 it was impossible not to find pleasure in the conversation of ,louis ,,xviii41 who talked on all subjects with equal degrees of taste and understanding4 ,however1 for the sake of variety no doubt1 at some of our sittings he would sing to me1 and he would sing such common songs that ,i was unable to understand how these trivial things had ever reached the court4 ,he sang more out of tune than any one in the whole world4 ,how do you think ,i sing8 he asked me one day4 ,like a prince1 ,your ,highness1 was my reply4 ,the ,marquis de ,montesquiou1 equerry-in-chief to ,monsieur1 would send me a fine carriage and six to bring me to ,versailles and take me back with my mother1 who accompanied me at my request4 ,all along the road people stood at the windows to see me pass1 and every one took their hats off4 ,this homage rendered to six horses and an outrider amused me1 for on returning to ,paris ,i got into a cab1 and nobody took the slightest notice of me4 ,about this time ,i also painted the ,princess de ,lamballe4 ,without being actually pretty1 she appeared so at a little distance2 she had small features1 complexion of dazzling freshness1 superb blond locks1 and was generally elegant in person4 ,the unhappy end of this unfortunate ,princess is sufficiently well known1 and so is the devotion to which she fell a victim4 ,for in #agic1 when she was at ,turin1 entirely out of harm's way1 she returned to ,france upon learning that the ,queen was in danger4 ,,chapter ,,iii ,,work ,,and ,,pleasure ,,impressions ,,of ,,flanders -- ,,the ,,authoress',s ,,election ,,to ,,the ,,french ,,royal ,,academy ,,of ,,painting -- ,,her ,,devotion ,,to ,,work -- ,,social ,,pleasures -- ,a ,,tale ,,of ,,an ,,artist',s ,,extravagance -- ,,calonne ,,and ,,calumny -- ,m4 ,,lebrun ,,allows ,,his ,,wife ,,nought ,,per ,,cent4 ,,of ,,her ,,earnings -- ,a ,,dramatic ,,constellation -- ,,the ,,incomparable ,,mme4 ,,dugazon4 ,in #aghb ,m4 ,lebrun took me to ,flanders1 whither he was called by affairs of business4 ,a sale was then being held in ,brussels of a splendid collection of pictures belonging to ,prince ,charles1 and we went to view it4 ,i found there several ladies of the court who met me with great kindness1 among them the ,princess d',aremberg1 whom ,i had frequently seen in ,paris4 ,but the acquaintance upon which ,i congratulated myself most was that of the ,prince de ,ligne1 whom ,i had not known before1 and who has left an historic reputation for wit and hospitality4 ,he invited us to visit his gallery1 where ,i admired various masterpieces1 especially portraits by ,van ,dyck and heads by ,rubens1 for he owned but few ,italian pictures4 ,he was also good enough to receive us at his magnificent house at ,bel-,oeil4 ,i remember that he made us ascend to an outlook1 built on the top of a hill commanding the whole of his estate and the whole of the country round about4 ,the perfect air we breathed up there1 together with the delightful view1 was something enchanting4 ,what was best of all in this lovely place was the greetings of the master of the house1 who for his graceful mind and manners never had an equal4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,dauphin ,son of ,louis ,,xvi4 and ,marie ,antoinette4 ,the town of ,brussels seemed to me prosperous and lively4 ,in high society1 for instance1 people were so wrapped up in pleasure-seeking that several friends of the ,prince de ,ligne sometimes left ,brussels at noon1 arriving at the opera in ,paris just in time to see the curtain go up1 and when the performance was over returned to ,brussels1 travelling all night4 ,that is what ,i call being fond of the opera6 ,we quitted ,brussels to go to ,holland4 ,i was very much pleased with ,saardam and ,maestricht2 these two little towns are so clean and so very well kept that one envies the lot of the inhabitants4 ,the streets being very narrow and provided with canals1 one does not ride in carriages1 but on horseback1 and small boats are used for the transportation of merchandise4 ,the houses1 which are very low1 have two doors--the birth door1 and the death door1 through which one only passes in a coffin4 ,the roofs of these houses shine as if they were of burnished steel1 and everything is so scrupulously clean that ,i remember seeing1 outside a blacksmith's shop1 a sort of lamp hanging up1 which was gilded and polished as though intended for a lady's chamber4 ,the women of the people in this part of ,holland seemed to me very handsome1 but were so timid that the sight of a stranger made them run away at once4 ,i suppose1 however1 that the presence of the ,french in their country may have tamed them4 ,we finally visited ,amsterdam1 and there ,i saw in the town hall the magnificent painting by ,van ,loo representing the assembled aldermen4 ,i do not believe that in the whole realm of painting there is anything finer1 anything truer2 it is nature itself4 ,the aldermen are dressed in black2 faces1 hands1 draping--all done inimitably4 ,these men are alive2 you think you are with them4 ,i persuaded myself that this picture must be the most perfect of its kind2 ,i could not tear myself away from it1 and the impression it made on me was strong enough to make it ever present in my mind4 ,we returned to ,flanders to see the masterpieces of ,rubens4 ,they were hung much more advantageously than they have been since in ,paris1 for they all produce a wonderful effect in those ,flemish churches4 ,other works by the same master adorn some private galleries4 ,in one of them1 at ,antwerp1 ,i found the famous ,straw ,hat1 which has lately been sold to an ,englishman for a large sum4 ,this admirable picture represents a woman by ,rubens4 ,it delighted and inspired me to such a degree that ,i made a portrait of myself at ,brussels1 striving to obtain the same effects4 ,i painted myself with a straw hat on my head1 a feather1 and a garland of wild flowers1 holding my palette in my hand4 ,and when the portrait was exhibited at the ,salon ,i feel free to confess that it added considerably to my reputation4 ,the celebrated ,mller made an engraving after it1 but it must be understood that the dark shadows of an engraving spoiled the whole effect of such a picture4 ,soon after my return from ,flanders1 the portrait ,i had mentioned1 and several other works of mine1 were the cause of ,joseph ,vernet's decision to propose me as a member of the ,royal ,academy of ,painting4 ,m4 ,pierre1 then first ,painter to the ,king1 made strong opposition1 not wishing1 he said1 that women should be admitted1 although ,mme4 ,vallayer-,coster1 who painted flowers beautifully1 had already been admitted1 and ,i think ,mme4 ,vien had been1 too4 ,m4 ,pierre1 a very mediocre painter1 was a clever man4 ,besides1 he was rich1 and this enabled him to entertain artists luxuriously4 ,artists were not so well off in those days as they are now4 ,his opposition might have become fatal to me if all true picture-lovers had not been associated with the ,academy1 and if they had not formed a cabal1 in my favour1 against ,m4 ,pierre's4 ,at last ,i was admitted1 and presented my picture ,peace ,bringing ,back ,plenty4 ,illustration3 ,,mme4 ,,lebrun1 ,,the ,,authoress1 ,n,e ,,elisabeth ,,vig,e4 ,i continued to paint furiously1 sometimes taking three sittings in the course of a single day4 ,after-dinner sittings1 which fatigued me extremely1 brought about a disorder of my stomach1 so that ,i could digest nothing and became wretchedly thin4 ,my friends made me consult a doctor1 who ordered me to sleep every day after dinner4 ,at first it was some trouble to me to follow this habit1 but by remaining in my room with the blinds down ,i gradually succeeded4 ,i am persuaded that ,i owe my life to this rule4 ,all ,i regret about that enforced rest is that it deprived me for good and all of the amusement of dining in town1 and as ,i devoted the whole morning to painting ,i never was able to see my friends until the evening4 ,then1 it is true1 none of the pleasures of society were closed to me1 for ,i spent my evenings in the politest and most accomplished circles4 ,after my marriage ,i still lived in the ,rue de ,clry1 where ,m4 ,lebrun had large1 richly furnished apartments and kept his pictures by all the great masters4 ,as for myself1 ,i was reduced to occupying a small anteroom1 and a bedroom1 which also served for my drawing-room4 ,this was unpretentiously papered and furnished1 and there ,i received my visitors from town and court4 ,every one was eager to come to my evening parties1 which were sometimes so crowded that marshals of ,france sat on the floor for want of chairs4 ,i remember that the ,marshal de ,noailles1 who was very stout and very old1 one evening had the greatest difficulty in getting up again4 ,i was fond of flattering myself1 of course1 that all these grand people came for my sake4 ,but1 as it always was in open houses1 some came to see the others1 and most of them to enjoy the best music to be heard in ,paris4 ,such famous composers as ,grtry1 ,sacchini1 and ,martini often played pieces from their operas at my house before the first performance4 ,our usual singers were ,garat1 ,asvedo1 ,richer1 and ,mme4 ,todi4 ,my sister-in-law1 who had a very fine voice and could sing anything at sight1 was very useful to us4 ,sometimes ,i sang myself1 but without much method1 ,i confess4 ,garat may1 perhaps1 be mentioned as the most extraordinary virtuoso who ever lived4 ,not only did no difficulties exist for his flexible throat1 but as to expression he had no rival1 and ,i think that no one has ever sung ,gluck as well as he4 ,for instrumental music ,i had as a violinist ,viotti1 whose playing1 so full of grace1 of force and expression1 was ravishing4 ,i also had ,jarnovick1 ,maestrino1 and ,prince ,henry of ,prussia1 an excellent amateur1 who brought this first violinist besides4 ,salentin played the hautboy1 ,hulmandel and ,cramer the piano4 ,mme4 de ,montgerou came once1 soon after her marriage4 ,although she was very young then1 she nevertheless astonished my friends1 who were very hard to please1 by her admirable execution1 and especially by her expression2 she really made the instrument speak4 ,mme4 ,montgerou has since taken first rank as a pianist1 and distinguished herself as a composer4 ,at the time ,i gave my concerts people had taste and leisure for amusement1 and even some years later the love of music was so general that it occasioned a serious quarrel between those who were called ,gluckists and ,piccinists4 ,all amateurs were divided into two opposing factions4 ,the usual field of battle was the garden of the ,palais ,royal4 ,there the partisans of ,gluck and the partisans of ,piccini went at each other with such violence that there was more than one duel to record4 ,the women who were usually present comprised the ,marquise de ,grollier1 ,mme4 de ,verdun1 the ,marquise de ,sabran1 who afterward married the ,chevalier de ,boufflers1 ,mme4 le ,couteux du ,molay--my best friends1 all four of them--the ,marquise de ,roug1 ,mme4 de ,pez1 her friend1 whom ,i painted in the same picture with her1 and a host of other ,french ladies1 whom1 owing to the smallness of my rooms1 ,i could receive but rarely1 and all sorts of distinguished foreign ladies4 ,as for men1 the list would be too long to write it down4 ,illustration3 ,,peace ,,bringing ,,abundance ,exhibited by ,mme4 ,lebrun at the ,french ,royal ,academy of ,painting ,on ,her ,election as a ,member of ,that ,institution4 ,from this crowd ,i selected the cleverest for invitation to my suppers1 which the ,abb ,delille1 the poet ,lebrun1 the ,chevalier de ,boufflers1 the ,viscount de ,sgur1 and others contributed to make the most entertaining in ,paris4 ,he can form no opinion of what society once was in ,france who has not seen the time when1 all of the day's business absolved1 a dozen or fifteen delightful people met at the house of a hostess to finish their evening4 ,the ease and the refined merriment which reigned at these light evening repasts gave them a charm which dinners can never have4 ,a sort of confidence and intimacy prevailed among the guests2 it was by such suppers that the good society of ,paris showed its superiority to that of all ,europe4 ,at my house1 for instance1 we met at about nine o'clock4 ,no one ever talked politics1 but we chatted about literature and told anecdotes of the hour4 ,sometimes we diverted ourselves by acting charades1 and sometimes the ,abb ,delille or the poet ,lebrun read us some of their compositions4 ,at ten o'clock we sat down to table4 ,my suppers were of the simplest4 ,they always consisted of some fowl1 a fish1 a dish of vegetables1 and a salad1 so that if ,i succumbed to the temptation of keeping back some visitors there really was nothing more for any one to eat4 ,but that mattered little2 the hours passed like minutes1 and at midnight the company broke up4 ,i not only gave suppers at my own house1 but frequently supped in town4 ,sometimes there was dancing1 and there was no crowding to suffocation1 as there is nowadays4 ,eight persons only performed the square dances1 and the women who were not dancing could at least look on1 for the men stood behind them4 ,i often went to spend the evening at ,m4 de ,rivire's1 in charge of the ,saxon legation1 a man distinguished as much by his wit as by his good qualities4 ,we played comedies there1 and comic operas4 ,his daughter 7my sister-in-law7 sang excellently1 and could pass for a good society actress4 ,m4 de ,rivire's eldest son was charming in comic parts1 and ,i was given the use of a few professionals in opera and drama4 ,mme4 ,laruette1 some years retired from the stage1 did not disdain our troupe4 ,she played with us in several operas1 and her voice was still fresh and fine4 ,my brother ,vige played leading parts with very great success4 ,in short1 all our actors were good--excepting ,talma4 ,my saying this will no doubt make my readers laugh4 ,the fact is1 that ,talma1 who acted lovers' parts with us1 was so awkward and diffident that no one could then possibly have foreseen how great an actor he would become4 ,my surprise was therefore very great when ,i saw our leading man surpass ,larive and take the place of ,lekain4 ,but the time it took to operate this change1 and all of the same kind1 proves to me that the dramatic talent takes longer to reach perfection than any other4 ,one evening1 when ,i had invited a dozen or more friends to hear a recital by the poet ,lebrun1 and while we were waiting for them1 my brother read aloud to me a few pages of ,anacharsis4 ,arriving at the place where1 in the description of a ,greek dinner1 the method of preparing various sauces is explained1 ,we ought1 said my brother1 to try this to-night4 ,i at once ordered up my cook and instructed her properly1 deciding that she was to make a certain sauce for the chicken and another for the eel4 ,as ,i was expecting some very pretty women1 ,i conceived the idea of ,greek costumes1 in order to give ,m4 de ,vaudreuil and ,m4 ,boutin a surprise1 knowing they would not arrive until ten o'clock4 ,my studio1 full of things ,i used for draping my models1 would furnish me with enough material for garments1 and the ,count de ,parois1 who lived in my house in the ,rue de ,clry1 owned a superb collection of ,etruscan pottery4 ,it happened that he came to see me that evening4 ,i confided my project to him1 so that he supplied me with a number of drinking-cups and vases1 from among which ,i took my choice4 ,i cleaned all these articles myself1 and arranged them on a table of mahogany without a tablecloth4 ,this done1 ,i put behind the chairs a large screen1 which ,i took the precaution of concealing under some hangings looped up at intervals1 as may be seen in ,poussin's pictures4 ,a hanging lamp threw a strong light on the table4 ,all was now prepared except my costumes1 when ,joseph ,vernet's daughter1 the charming ,mme4 ,chalgrin1 was first to arrive4 ,i immediately took her in hand1 doing her hair and dressing her up4 ,then came ,mme4 de ,bonneuil1 so remarkable for her beauty1 and ,mme4 ,vige1 my sister-in-law1 who1 without being pretty1 had the most beautiful eyes imaginable4 ,and there they were1 all three1 metamorphosed into veritable ,athenians4 ,lebrun came in2 we wiped off his powder1 undid his side curls1 and put a wreath of laurels on his head4 ,then the ,marquis de ,cubires arrived4 ,while we sent for a guitar of his1 which he had turned into a gilded lyre1 ,i attended to his costume1 and then likewise dressed up ,m4 de ,rivire1 and ,chaudet1 the famous sculptor4 ,the hour was waxing late4 ,i had little time to think of myself4 ,but as ,i always wore white gowns in the form of a tunic--now called a blouse--it was sufficient to put a veil and a wreath of flowers on my head4 ,i took particular pains in costuming my daughter1 darling child that she was1 and ,mlle4 de ,bonneuil1 now ,mme4 ,regnault d',angly1 who was as lovely as an angel4 ,both were ravishing to behold1 bearing a very light antique vase1 in readiness to serve us with drink4 ,at half past nine the preparations were ended1 and at ten we heard the carriage of the ,count de ,vaudreuil and of ,boutin roll in1 and when these two gentlemen arrived before the door of the dining-room1 whose two leaves ,i had thrown open1 they found us singing ,gluck's chorus1 ,the ,god of ,paphos1 with ,m4 de ,cubires accompanying us on his lyre4 ,never in all my days have ,i seen two such astonished faces as those of ,m4 de ,vaudreuil and his companion4 ,they were so surprised and delighted that they stood motionless for a long time before they could make up their minds to take the seats we had reserved for them4 ,besides the two courses ,i have mentioned1 we had for supper a cake made with honey and ,corinth raisins1 and two dishes of vegetables4 ,i confess that that evening we drank a bottle of old ,cyprus wine1 which had been presented to me4 ,but that was the whole of our dissipation4 ,we nevertheless remained a long time at table1 where ,lebrun recited to us several odes of ,anacreon1 which he had translated1 and ,i think ,i never spent a more amusing evening4 ,m4 ,boutin and ,m4 de ,vaudreuil were so enthusiastic that the next day they told all their friends about the entertainment4 ,some of the women of the court asked me to repeat the performance4 ,i declined for various reasons1 and some of them felt hurt by my refusal4 ,soon the report spread in society that this supper had cost me twenty thousand francs4 ,the ,king spoke of it with annoyance to the ,marquis de ,cubires1 who fortunately had been one of my guests1 and who therefore was able to convince ,his ,majesty how foolish the accusation was4 ,nevertheless1 what was estimated at ,versailles at the modest price of twenty thousand francs was increased at ,rome to forty thousand4 ,at ,vienna the ,baroness de ,strogonoff informed me that ,i had spent sixty thousand francs on my ,greek supper4 ,at ,st4 ,petersburg the sum fixed upon was eighty thousand francs4 ,in reality1 the supper had occasioned an outlay of nearly fifteen francs6 ,although1 as ,i am sure1 ,i was the most harmless creature who ever drew breath1 ,i had enemies4 ,a few years before the ,revolution ,i did the portrait of ,m4 de ,calonne1 which ,i exhibited at the ,salon of #aghe4 ,i painted that minister in a sitting position and as far as the knees1 which caused ,mlle4 ,arnould to say1 when she looked at it3 ,mme4 ,lebrun cut off his legs1 so that he should not get away4 ,unfortunately1 this little witticism was not the only one my picture evoked2 ,i was made the butt of calumnies of the most odious description4 ,there were a thousand stories circulated as to the payment of the portrait1 some asserting that the minister had given me a quantity of sweetmeats wrapped in bank-notes1 others that ,i had received in a pasty a sum large enough to ruin the treasury4 ,the fact is1 that ,m4 de ,calonne had sent me four thousand francs in a box worth twenty louis4 ,some of the people who were with me when the box arrived can certify this4 ,they were even surprised at the smallness of the amount1 for not long before1 ,m4 de ,beaujon1 whom ,i had painted in the same style1 had sent me eight thousand francs1 without any one considering this fee too large4 ,i cared so little about money that ,i scarcely knew the value of it4 ,the ,countess de la ,guiche1 who is still alive1 can affirm that1 upon coming to me to have her portrait painted and telling me that she could afford no more than a thousand francs1 ,i answered that ,m4 ,lebrun wished me to do none for less than two thousand4 ,my closest friends all know that ,m4 ,lebrun took all the money ,i earned1 on the plea of investing it in his business4 ,i often had no more than six francs in my pocket and in the world4 ,when in #aghh ,i painted the picture of the handsome ,prince ,lubomirskia1 who was then grown up1 his aunt1 the ,princess ,lubomirska1 remitted twelve thousand francs to me1 out of which ,i begged ,m4 ,lebrun to let me keep forty2 but he would not let me have even that1 alleging that he needed the whole sum to liquidate a promissory note4 ,my indifference to money no doubt proceeded from the fact that wealth was not necessary to me4 ,since that which made my house pleasant required no extravagance1 ,i always lived very economically4 ,i spent very little on dress2 ,i was even reproached for neglecting it1 for ,i wore none but white dresses of muslin or lawn1 and never wore elaborate gowns excepting for my sittings at ,versailles4 ,my head-dress cost me nothing1 because ,i did my hair myself1 and most of the time ,i wore a muslin cap on my head1 as may be seen from my portraits4 ,one of my favourite distractions was going to the play1 and ,i can vow that so many talented actors were on the ,paris stage that many of them have had no successors4 ,i remember perfectly having seen the renowned ,lekain act1 whose ugliness1 monstrous as it was1 was not apparent in all his parts4 ,but when he played the rle of ,orosmane1 in which ,i once saw him1 ,i was very near the stage1 and his turban made him so hideous that1 although ,i admired his fine bearing1 he frightened me4 ,mlle4 ,dumesnil1 although she was short and very ugly1 sent her audiences into transports in her great tragic rles4 ,it sometimes happened that ,mlle4 ,dumesnil acted through a portion of the play without producing any impression2 then1 all of a sudden1 she would change2 her gestures1 her voice and her features all became so intensely tragic that she brought down the house4 ,i was assured that before coming on the stage she was in the habit of drinking a bottle of wine1 and that another was held in reserve for her in the wings4 ,the most brilliant first appearance ,i can remember was ,mlle4 ,raucourt's in the part of ,dido1 when she was eighteen or twenty at the most4 ,the beauty of her face1 her figure1 her voice1 her declamation--everything foreshadowed a perfect actress4 ,to so many advantages she added an air of remarkable decency and a reputation of severe morals1 which caused her to be sought after by our greatest ladies4 ,she was presented with jewelry1 with theatrical costumes1 and with money for herself and her father1 who was always with her4 ,later on she changed her habits very much4 ,illustration3 ,,mme4 ,,vig,e ,,lebrun ,,and ,,her ,,daughter4 ,talma1 our last great tragic actor1 in my opinion surpassed all the others4 ,there was genius in his acting4 ,it may also be said that he revolutionised the art1 in the first place through banishing the bombastic and affected style of delivery by his natural1 sincere elocution1 and secondly through bringing about an innovation in dress1 attiring himself like a ,greek or a ,roman when he played ,achilles or ,brutus--for which ,i was heartily grateful to him4 ,talma had one of the finest heads and one of the most mobile countenances imaginable1 and1 however impetuous his acting became1 always kept dignified1 which seems to me a prime quality in a tragic actor4 ,he was a very good man1 and the best tempered individual in the world4 ,it was his custom to make no fuss in society2 in order to make him respond1 it needed something in the conversation which would stir one of his deepest interests1 and then he was well worth listening to1 particularly when he talked about his art4 ,comedy was perhaps better off still for talent than tragedy4 ,i often had the good fortune to see ,prville on the stage4 ,there1 indeed1 was the perfect1 the inimitable artist6 ,his acting1 so clever1 so natural1 and so full of fun1 was at the same time most varied4 ,he would play in turn ,crispin1 ,sosie1 and ,figaro1 and you would not know it was the same man1 so inexhaustible were his comic resources4 ,dugazon1 his successor in humorous parts1 would have been an excellent comedian if a desire to make the public laugh had not often led him into being farcical4 ,he played certain parts of valets admirably4 ,dugazon behaved villainously in the ,revolution3 he was one of those who went for the ,king to ,varennes1 and an eyewitness told me that he had seen him at the carriage door with a gun on his shoulder4 ,be it observed that this man had been overwhelmed with favours by the court1 and especially by the ,count d',artois4 ,i also witnessed ,mlle4 ,contat's first appearance4 ,she was extremely pretty and well made1 but did her work so badly at first that no one foresaw what a fine actress she was to become4 ,her charming face was not sufficient to protect her from hisses when she played the part confided to her by ,beaumarchais1 of ,susanna in ,the ,marriage of ,figaro4 ,but from that moment on she advanced further and further on the path of success4 ,at a period when all of the great actors were beginning to age1 a young talent arose that to-day is the ornament of the ,french stage3 ,mlle4 ,mars was then playing the parts of young girls in the most highly accomplished manner2 she excelled in that of ,victorine in ,the ,unwitting ,philosopher1 and in a dozen others in which she never had an equal4 ,for it was impossible for any one else to be so true to life and so affecting2 it was nature at its best4 ,fortunately1 that face1 that figure1 that bewitching voice are so perfectly preserved that ,mlle4 ,mars has no age1 nor1 ,i believe1 ever will have1 and the public proves every night by its applause that it shares my opinion4 ,i remember having seen ,sophie ,arnould twice at the opera1 in ,castor and ,pollux4 ,i recollect that she seemed to me to possess grace and feeling4 ,as for her abilities as a singer1 the music of that epoch disgusted me so that ,i did not listen to it enough to be able to speak about it now4 ,mlle4 ,arnould was not pretty2 her mouth spoiled her face2 only her eyes conveyed the cleverness which made her famous4 ,a great number of her witty sayings have been passed round from mouth to mouth or printed4 ,a woman whose superior gifts delighted us for a long time was ,mlle4 ,arnould's successor4 ,this was ,mme4 ,saint ,huberti1 whom one must have heard in order to understand how far lyric tragedy can go4 ,mme4 ,saint ,huberti had not only a superb voice1 but was also a great actress4 ,her good fate ordained that she should sing the operas of ,piccini1 ,sacchini and ,gluck1 and all this music1 so beautiful1 so expressive1 exactly suited her talent1 which was full of significance1 of sincerity and of nobility4 ,she was not good-looking1 but her face was entrancing because of its soulfulness4 ,the ,count d',entraigues1 a very fine1 handsome man1 and very distinguished through his intellect1 fell in love with her and married her4 ,when the ,revolution broke out they escaped to ,london together4 ,it was there that one evening they were both murdered1 without either the murderers or their motives ever being discovered4 ,in the ballet1 likewise noted for people with great capabilities1 ,gardel and ,vestris the elder were first4 ,vestris was tall and imposing1 and was not to be excelled in dances of the grave and sedate order4 ,i could not prescribe the grace with which he took off and put back his hat at the bow preceding the minuet4 ,all the young women of the court took lessons from him1 before their presentation1 in making the three courtesies4 ,vestris the elder was succeeded by his son1 the most astonishing dancer to be seen1 such were his combined gracefulness and lightness4 ,although our dancers of the present day by no means spare us their pirouettes1 certainly no one could ever do as many as he did4 ,he would suddenly rise toward the sky in such a marvellous manner that one thought he must have wings1 and this made old ,vestris say1 ,if my son touches the ground it is only from politeness to his colleagues4 ,mlle4 ,guimard had another sort of talent altogether4 ,her dancing was only a sketch2 she did nothing but take short steps1 but executed them with such fascinating motions that the public awarded her the palm over all other female dancers4 ,she was short1 slight1 very well shaped1 and1 although plain1 her features were such that at the age of forty-five she looked no more than fifteen when on the stage4 ,i now come to one whose entire dramatic career ,i have been able to follow--the best talent the ,opra-,comique had to show1 ,mme4 ,dugazon4 ,never has such reality been seen upon the stage4 ,the actress disappeared1 and gave place to the actual ,babet1 ,countess d',albert1 or ,nicolette4 ,her voice was rather weak1 but it was strong enough for laughter1 for tears1 for all situations1 for all parts4 ,grtry and ,delayrac1 who wrote for her1 were mad about her4 ,no one ever again played ,nina like her--,nina1 so decent and so passionate at once1 and so unhappy and so touching that the mere sight of her made the audience shed tears4 ,mme4 ,dugazon was a royalist1 heart and soul4 ,of this she gave the public a proof1 when the ,revolution was well advanced1 in playing the part of the maid in ,unforeseen ,events4 ,the ,queen was witnessing the performance1 and in a duet begun by the valet1 with ,i love my master dearly1 ,mme4 ,dugazon1 whose answer was ,ah1 how ,i love my mistress6 turned toward the ,queen's box1 laid her hand over her heart1 and sang her reply in a melting voice while she bowed to ,her ,majesty4 ,i was told that the public--and such a public--afterward sought revenge by attempting to make her sing some horrible thing which had come into vogue and was often heard in the theatres4 ,but ,mme4 ,dugazon would not yield4 ,she left the stage4 ,,chapter ,,iv ,,exile ,a ,,gallic ,,maecenas -- ,,anecdote ,,concerning ,,beaumarchais -- ,,the ,,duke ,,de ,,nivernais -- ,,mme4 ,,du ,,barry ,,sketched ,,in ,,words -- ,,and ,,painted ,,in ,,oils -- ,,rumblings ,,of ,,the ,,revolution -- ,,mme4 ,,lebrun',s ,,fearsome ,,journey ,,to ,,italy -- ,,renewed ,,artistic ,,activity ,,at ,,rome -- ,,easter ,,sunday ,,at ,,st4 ,,peter',s -- ,,fascination ,,of ,,the ,,eternal ,,city -- ,,vanities ,,and ,,violences ,,of ,,its ,,people4 ,the same year that ,i went to ,flanders ,i made a stay of some length at ,raincy4 ,the ,duke d',orlans1 the father of ,philippe galit1 who was then living there1 sent for me to paint his portrait and ,mme4 de ,montesson's4 ,i cannot recall a certain incident without laughing1 though it annoyed me considerably at the time4 ,during ,mme4 de ,montesson's sittings the old ,princess de ,conti came to see her one day1 and this ,princess persisted in addressing me as ,miss4 ,it is true that it had formerly been the custom for great ladies to behave in this way toward their inferiors1 but that sort of court snobbery had gone out with ,louis ,,xv4 ,another noted country estate1 ,gennevilliers1 belonged to the ,count de ,vaudreuil1 one of the most amiable of men4 ,the ,count de ,vaudreuil had bought this property largely for ,his ,highness the ,count d',artois1 because it included fine hunting-grounds4 ,the purchaser had done much to embellish the place4 ,the house was furnished in the best taste1 and without ostentation2 there was a small but charming theatre in the house1 where my sister-in-law1 my brother1 ,m4 de ,rivire and ,i often played in comic operas with ,mme4 ,dugazon1 and ,garat1 ,cailleau1 and ,laruette4 ,the ,count d',artois and his company witnessed our performances4 ,the last given in the theatre at ,gennevilliers was ,the ,marriage of ,figaro by the actors of the ,comdie-,franaise4 ,mlle4 ,contat was delightful in the part of ,suzanne4 ,dialogue1 couplets1 and all the rest were aimed against the court1 of which a large part was present4 ,this extravagance benefited no one1 but ,beaumarchais was none the less intoxicated with joy4 ,as there were complaints of the heat1 he allowed no time for the windows to be opened1 but smashed all the panes with his walking-stick4 ,the ,count de ,vaudreuil came to repent of having given his patronage to the ,marriage of ,figaro4 ,in fact1 very soon after the performance mentioned ,beaumarchais asked for an audience4 ,this being at once granted1 he arrived at ,versailles at such an early hour that the ,count had only just got up4 ,the dramatist then broached a financial project which he had hatched out1 and which was to bring in a vast fortune4 ,he concluded by proposing to hand over to ,m4 de ,vaudreuil a large sum if he would engage to carry the affair through successfully4 ,the ,count listened quite calmly1 and when ,beaumarchais finished speaking1 answered3 ,m4 de ,beaumarchais1 you could not come at a more favourable time1 for ,i have spent a good night1 my digestion is in good order1 and ,i never felt better than ,i do to-day4 ,if you had made such a proposition to me yesterday ,i would have thrown you out of the window4 ,another fine country place ,i visited was ,villette4 ,the ,marquise de ,villette1 nicknamed ,lovely and ,lovable1 having invited me1 ,i went to pass a few days there4 ,on one occasion we found a man painting fences in the park4 ,this painter was working with such expedition that ,m4 de ,villette complimented him upon it4 ,oh6 was the reply1 ,i'd undertake to cover up in a day all that ,rubens painted in his whole life6 ,i dined several times at ,saint ,ouen1 with the ,duke de ,nivernais1 who owned a very handsome residence there1 and who gathered about him the most agreeable company it was possible to meet4 ,the ,duke1 always praised for his elegant and pointed wit1 had manners that were dignified and gentle and without the slightest affectation4 ,he was particularly distinguished for his extreme civility to women of all ages4 ,in this respect ,i might speak of him as a model of whom ,i would never have found a copy if ,i had not known the ,count de ,vaudreuil1 who1 much younger than the ,duke de ,nivernais1 added to his refined gallantry a politeness that was the more flattering since it came from the heart4 ,in fact1 it is very difficult to convey an idea to-day of the urbanity1 the graceful ease1 in a word the affability of manner which made the charm of ,parisian society forty years ago4 ,the women reigned then2 the ,revolution dethroned them4 ,the ,duke de ,nivernais was very small and very lean4 ,although very old when ,i knew him1 he was still full of life2 he was passionately fond of poetry1 and wrote charming verses4 ,i also dined frequently at the ,marshal de ,noailles's1 in his fine mansion situated at the entrance to ,saint ,germain4 ,there was then an immense park there1 admirably kept4 ,the ,marshal was highly sociable2 his cleverness and good spirits infected all his guests1 whom he selected from among the literary celebrities and the most distinguished people of the town and the court4 ,it was in #aghf that ,i went for the first time to ,louveciennes1 where ,i had promised to paint ,mme4 ,du ,barry4 ,she might then have been about forty-five years old4 ,she was tall without being too much so2 she had a certain roundness1 her throat being rather pronounced but very beautiful2 her face was still attractive1 her features were regular and graceful2 her hair was ashy1 and curly like a child's4 ,but her complexion was beginning to fade4 ,she received me with much courtesy1 and seemed to me very well behaved1 but ,i found her more spontaneous in mind than in manner3 her glance was that of a coquette1 for her long eyes were never quite open1 and her pronunciation had something childish which no longer suited her age4 ,she lodged me in a part of the building where ,i was greatly put out by the continual noise4 ,under my room was a gallery1 sadly neglected1 in which busts1 vases1 columns1 the rarest marbles1 and a quantity of other valuable articles were displayed without system or order4 ,these remains of luxury contrasted with the simplicity adopted by the mistress of the house1 with her dress and her mode of life4 ,summer and winter ,mme4 ,du ,barry wore only a dressing-robe of cotton cambric or white muslin1 and every day1 whatever the weather might be1 she walked in her park1 or outside of it1 without ever incurring disastrous consequences1 so sturdy had her health become through her life in the country4 ,she had maintained no relations with the numerous court that surrounded her so long4 ,in the evening we were usually alone at the fireside1 ,mme4 ,du ,barry and ,i4 ,she sometimes talked to me about ,louis ,,xv4 and his court4 ,she showed herself a worthy person by her actions as well as her words1 and did a great deal of good at ,louveciennes1 where she helped all the poor4 ,every day after dinner we took coffee in the pavilion which was so famous for its rich and tasteful decorations4 ,the first time ,mme4 ,du ,barry showed it to me she said3 ,it is here that ,louis ,,xv4 did me the honour of coming to dinner4 ,there was a gallery above for musicians and singers who performed during the meal4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,dauphin ,,of ,,france4 ,when ,mme4 ,du ,barry went to ,england1 before the ,terror1 to get back her stolen diamonds1 which1 in fact1 she recovered there1 the ,english received her very well4 ,they did all they could to prevent her from returning to ,france4 ,but it was not long before she succumbed to the fate in store for everybody who had some possessions4 ,she was informed against and betrayed by a little ,negro called ,zamore1 who is mentioned in all the memoirs of the period as having been overwhelmed with kindness by her and ,louis ,,xv4 ,being arrested and thrown into prison1 ,mme4 ,du ,barry was tried and condemned to death by the ,revolutionary tribunal at the end of #agic4 ,she was the only woman1 among all who perished in those dreadful days1 unable to face the scaffold with firmness2 she screamed1 she sued for pardon to the hideous mob surrounding her1 and that mob became moved to such a degree that the executioner hastened to finish his task4 ,this has always confirmed my belief that if the victims of that period of execrable memory had not had the noble pride of dying with fortitude the ,terror would have ceased long before it did4 ,i made three portraits of ,mme4 ,du ,barry4 ,in the first ,i painted her at half length1 in a dressing-gown and straw hat4 ,in the second she is dressed in white satin2 she holds a wreath in one hand1 and one of her arms is leaning on a pedestal4 ,the third portrait ,i made of ,mme4 ,du ,barry is in my own possession4 ,i began it about the middle of ,september1 #aghi4 ,from ,louveciennes we could hear shooting in the distance1 and ,i remember the poor woman saying1 ,if ,louis ,,xv4 were alive ,i am sure this would not be happening4 ,i had done the head1 and outlined the body and arms1 when ,i was obliged to make an expedition to ,paris4 ,i hoped to be able to return to ,louveciennes to finish my work1 but heard that ,berthier and ,foulon had been murdered4 ,i was now frightened beyond measure1 and thenceforth thought of nothing but leaving ,france4 ,the fearful year #aghi was well advanced1 and all decent people were already seized with terror4 ,i remember perfectly that one evening when ,i had gathered some friends about me for a concert1 most of the arrivals came into the room with looks of consternation2 they had been walking at ,longchamps that morning1 and the populace assembled at the toile gate had cursed at those who passed in carriages in a dreadful manner4 ,some of the wretches had clambered on the carriage steps1 shouting1 ,next year you will be behind your carriages and we shall be inside6 and a thousand other insults4 ,as for myself1 ,i had little need to learn fresh details in order to foresee what horrors impended4 ,i knew beyond doubt that my house in the ,rue ,gros ,chenet1 where ,i had settled but three months since1 had been singled out by the criminals4 ,they threw sulphur into our cellars through the airholes4 ,if ,i happened to be at my window1 vulgar ruffians would shake their fists at me4 ,numberless sinister rumours reached me from every side2 in fact1 ,i now lived in a state of continual anxiety and sadness4 ,my health became sensibly affected1 and two of my best friends1 the architect ,brongniart and his wife1 when they came to see me1 found me so thin and so changed that they besought me to come and spend a few days with them1 which invitation ,i thankfully accepted4 ,brongniart had his lodgings at the ,invalides1 whither ,i was conducted by a physician attached to the ,palais ,royal1 whose servants wore the ,orlans livery1 the only one then held in any respect4 ,there ,i was given everything of the best4 ,as ,i was unable to eat1 ,i was nourished on excellent ,burgundy wine and soup1 and ,mme4 ,brongniart was in constant attendance upon me4 ,all this solicitude ought to have quieted me1 especially as my friends took a less black view of things than ,i did4 ,nevertheless1 they did not succeed in banishing my evil forebodings4 ,what is the use of living2 what is the use of taking care of oneself8 ,i would often ask my good friends1 for the fears that the future held over me made life distasteful to me4 ,but ,i must acknowledge that even with the furthest stretch of my imagination ,i guessed only at a fraction of the crimes that were to be committed4 ,i remember having supped at the ,brongniarts's with ,his ,excellence ,m4 de ,sombreuil1 at that time governor of the ,invalides4 ,he brought us the news that an attempt was threatening to take the arms that he had in reserve1 ,but1 he added1 ,i have hidden them so well that ,i defy any one to find them4 ,the good man did not consider that one could trust no one but oneself4 ,as the arms were very soon abstracted1 it seems evident that he was betrayed by some of the servants in his employ4 ,m4 de ,sombreuil1 as notable for his private virtues as for his military talents1 was among the prisoners who were to be killed in their cells on the second of ,september4 ,the murderers gave him his life at the tears of supplication of his heroic daughter1 but1 villainous even in granting pardon1 they compelled ,mlle4 de ,sombreuil to drink a glass of the blood that flowed in streams in front of the prison4 ,for a long time afterward the sight of anything with red colour made this unfortunate young woman vomit horribly4 ,some years later 7in #agid7 ,m4 de ,sombreuil was sent to the scaffold by the ,revolutionary tribunal4 ,i had made up my mind to leave ,france4 ,for some years ,i had cherished the desire to go to ,rome4 ,the large number of portraits ,i had engaged to paint had1 however1 hindered me from putting my plan into execution4 ,but ,i could now paint no longer2 my broken spirit1 bruised with so many horrors1 shut itself entirely to my art4 ,besides1 dreadful slanders were pouring upon my friends1 my acquaintances and myself1 although1 ,heaven knows1 ,i had never hurt a living soul4 ,i thought like the man who said1 ,i am accused of having stolen the towers of ,notre ,dame2 they are still in their usual place1 but ,i am going away1 as ,i am evidently to blame4 ,i left several portraits ,i had begun1 among them ,mlle4 ,contat's4 ,at the same time ,i refused to paint ,mlle4 de ,laborde 7afterward ,duchess de ,noailles71 brought to me by her father4 ,she was scarcely sixteen1 and very charming1 but it was no longer a question of success or money--it was only a question of saving one's head4 ,i had my carriage loaded1 and my passport ready1 so that ,i might leave next day with my daughter and her governess1 when a crowd of national guardsmen burst into my room with their muskets4 ,most of them were drunk and shabby1 and had terrible faces4 ,a few of them came up to me and told me in the coarsest language that ,i must not go1 but that ,i must remain4 ,i answered that since everybody had been called upon to enjoy his liberty1 ,i intended to make use of mine4 ,they would barely listen to me1 and kept on repeating1 ,you will not go1 citizeness2 you will not go6 ,finally they went away4 ,i was plunged into a state of cruel anxiety when ,i saw two of them return4 ,but they did not frighten me1 although they belonged to the gang1 so quickly did ,i recognise that they wished me no harm4 ,madame1 said one of them1 we are your neighbours1 and we have come to advise you to leave1 and as soon as possible4 ,you cannot live here2 you are changed so much that we feel sorry for you4 ,but do not go in your carriage3 go in the stage-coach2 it is much safer4 ,i thanked them with all my heart1 and followed their good advice4 ,i had three places reserved1 as ,i still wanted to take my daughter1 who was then five or six years old1 but was unable to secure them until a fortnight later1 because all who exiled themselves chose the stage-coach1 like myself4 ,at last came the long-expected day4 ,it was the #eth of ,october1 and the ,king and ,queen were conducted from ,versailles to ,paris surrounded by pikes4 ,the events of that day filled me with uneasiness as to the fate of ,their ,majesties and that of all decent people1 so that ,i was dragged to the stage-coach at midnight in a dreadful state of mind4 ,i was very much afraid of the ,faubourg ,saint ,antoine1 which ,i was obliged to traverse to reach the ,barrire du ,trne4 ,my brother and my husband escorted me as far as this gate without leaving the door of the coach for a moment2 but the suburb that ,i was so frightened of was perfectly quiet4 ,all its inhabitants1 the workmen and the rest1 had been to ,versailles after the royal family1 and fatigue kept them all in bed4 ,opposite me in the coach was a very filthy man1 who stunk like the plague1 and told me quite simply that he had stolen watches and other things4 ,luckily he saw nothing about me to tempt him1 for ,i was only taking a small amount of clothing and eighty louis for my journey4 ,i had left my principal effects and my jewels in ,paris1 and the fruit of my labours was in the hands of my husband1 who spent it all4 ,i lived abroad solely on the proceeds of my painting4 ,not satisfied with relating his fine exploits to us1 the thief talked incessantly of stringing up such and such people on lamp-posts1 naming a number of my own acquaintances4 ,my daughter thought this man very wicked4 ,he frightened her1 and this gave me the courage to say1 ,i beg you1 sir1 not to talk of killing before this child4 ,that silenced him1 and he ended by playing at battle with my daughter4 ,on the bench ,i occupied there also sat a mad ,jacobin from ,grenoble1 about fifty years old1 with an ugly1 bilious complexion1 who each time we stopped at an inn for dinner or supper made violent speeches of the most fearful kind4 ,at all of the towns a crowd of people stopped the coach to learn the news from ,paris4 ,our ,jacobin would then exclaim3 ,everything is going well1 children6 ,we have the baker and his wife safe in ,paris4 ,a constitution will be drawn up1 they will be forced to accept it1 and then it will be all over4 ,there were plenty of ninnies and flatheads who believed this man as if he had been an oracle4 ,all this made my journey a very melancholy one4 ,i had no further fears for myself1 but ,i feared greatly for everybody else--for my mother1 for my brother1 and for my friends4 ,i also had the gravest apprehensions concerning ,their ,majesties1 for all along the route1 nearly as far as ,lyons1 men on horseback rode up to the coach to tell us that the ,king and ,queen had been killed and that ,paris was on fire4 ,my poor little girl got all a-tremble2 she thought she saw her father dead and our house burned down1 and no sooner had ,i succeeded in reassuring her than another horseman appeared and told us the same stories4 ,i cannot describe the emotions ,i felt in passing over the ,beauvoisin ,bridge4 ,then only did ,i breathe freely4 ,i had left ,france behind1 that ,france which nevertheless was the land of my birth1 and which ,i reproached myself with quitting with so much satisfaction4 ,the sight of the mountains1 however1 distracted me from all my sad thoughts4 ,i had never seen high mountains before2 those of the ,savoy seemed to touch the sky1 and seemed to mingle with it in a thick vapour4 ,my first sensation was that of fear1 but ,i unconsciously accustomed myself to the spectacle1 and ended by admiring it4 ,a certain part of the road completely entranced me2 ,i seemed to see the ,gallery of the ,titans1 and ,i have always called it so since4 ,wishing to enjoy all these beauties as fully as possible1 ,i got down from the coach1 but after walking some way ,i was seized with a great fright1 for there were explosions being made with gunpowder1 which had the effect of a thousand cannon shots1 and the din echoing from rock to rock was truly infernal4 ,i went up ,mount ,cenis1 as other strangers were doing1 when a postilion approached me1 saying1 ,the lady ought to take a mule2 to climb up on foot is too fatiguing4 ,i answered that ,i was a work-woman and quite accustomed to walking4 ,oh6 no6 was the laughing reply4 ,the lady is no work-woman2 we know who she is6 ,well1 who am ,i1 then8 ,i asked him4 ,you are ,mme4 ,lebrun1 who paints so well1 and we are all very glad to see you safe from those bad people4 ,i never guessed how the man could have learned my name1 but it proved to me how many secret agents the ,jacobins must have had4 ,happily ,i had no occasion to fear them any longer4 ,no sooner had ,i arrived at ,rome than ,i did a portrait of myself for the ,florence gallery4 ,i painted myself palette in hand before a canvas on which ,i was tracing a figure of the ,queen in white crayon4 ,after that ,i painted ,miss ,pitt1 who was sixteen and extremely pretty4 ,i represented her as ,hebe1 on some clouds1 holding in her hand a goblet from which an eagle was about to drink4 ,i did the eagle from life1 and ,i thought he would eat me4 ,he belonged to ,cardinal de ,bernis4 ,the wretched beast1 accustomed to being in the open air--for he was kept on a chain in the courtyard--was so enraged at finding himself in my room that he tried to fly at me4 ,i admit that ,i was dreadfully frightened4 ,about this time ,i painted the portrait of a ,polish lady1 the ,countess ,potocka4 ,she came with her husband1 and after he had gone away she said to me quite coolly1 ,he is my third husband1 but ,i am thinking of taking back my first1 who would suit me better1 although he is a drunkard4 ,i painted this ,pole in a very picturesque way3 for a background she had a rock overgrown with moss1 and falling water nearby4 ,the pleasure of living in ,rome was the only thing that consoled me for having left my country1 my family1 and so many friends ,i loved4 ,my work did not deprive me of the daily diversion of going about the city and its surroundings4 ,i always went alone to the palaces where collections of pictures and statues were exhibited1 so as not to have my enjoyment spoiled by stupid remarks or questions4 ,all these palaces are open to strangers1 and much gratitude is due to the great ,roman nobles for being so obliging4 ,it may seem hard to believe1 but it is true that one might spend one's whole life in the palaces and churches4 ,in the churches are to be found great treasures of painting and extraordinary monuments4 ,the wealth of ,st4 ,peter's in this respect is well known4 ,the finest of the churches regarding architecture is ,st4 ,paul's1 whose interior is lined with columns on each side4 ,one can have no idea of the grand and imposing effect of the ,catholic religion unless one can see ,rome during ,lent4 ,on ,easter ,day ,i took good care to be in the square of ,st4 ,peter's to see the ,pope give his blessing4 ,nothing could have been more solemn4 ,the immense square was filled at early morning by peasants and by the inhabitants of the town1 in all sorts of different costumes--bright and varied in colour--and there were also a large number of pilgrims4 ,they all stood as still as the superb obelisk of ,oriental granite in the middle of the square4 ,at ten o'clock the ,pope arrived1 clothed all in white1 his crown on his head4 ,he took his place in the centre stand outside the church on a magnificent high velvet throne4 ,the ,cardinals surrounded him1 clad in their handsome dress4 ,it must be said that ,pope ,pius ,,vi4 was splendid4 ,his healthy face showed no sign of the wear and tear of old age4 ,his hands were white and plump4 ,he knelt down to read his prayer4 ,afterward1 rising up1 he gave a double blessing in speaking these words1 ,urbi et ,orbi4 ,then1 as if struck by an electric shock1 the people1 the strangers1 the troops1 and all others fell on their knees1 while the cannons boomed from all sides1 this adding to the majesty of the scene1 by which it was impossible not to be moved4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,baroness ,,de ,,crussol4 ,the blessing given1 the ,cardinals threw a quantity of papers down from the gallery1 and these1 ,i was told1 were indulgences4 ,thousands of hands shot upward to grasp them4 ,the eagerness and the excitement of this crowd1 its pressing and pushing1 were beyond description4 ,when the ,pope withdrew1 the regimental bands intoned a flourish1 and the troops then marched off to the rattle of drums4 ,in the evening the dome of ,st4 ,peter's was illuminated1 first with lights under coloured glasses1 and then with white lights of greatest brilliancy4 ,it was difficult to conceive how the change could be effected with such rapidity2 however1 the spectacle was as beautiful as it was remarkable4 ,the same evening1 too1 gorgeous fireworks were set off at the castle of ,st4 ,angelo4 ,myriads of bombs and fire balloons were sent into the air2 the final display was the most magnificent to be seen of the kind1 and the reflection of these splendid fireworks in the ,tiber doubled their effect4 ,in ,rome1 where everything is grand1 the great mansions have no wretched lamps before them1 but each palace is provided with enormous candelabras1 from which stream gigantic flames that shed day1 so to speak1 over the whole city4 ,this luxurious manner of lighting strikes a stranger the more as the streets of ,rome are mostly illuminated by the lamps burning in front of the ,madonnas4 ,strangers are attracted to ,rome far more by ,holy ,week than by the carnival1 at which ,i was not surprised4 ,the masqueraders establish themselves in tiers1 disguised as harlequins1 as pulcinellos1 etc41 just as we see them on the boulevards in ,paris1 the difference being that in ,rome they never stir4 ,i saw only a single young man going about the streets after the ,french fashion4 ,he was giving a lifelike imitation of a very affected exquisite whom we had no difficulty in recognising4 ,the carriages and wagons come and go full of richly costumed people4 ,the horses are adorned with feathers1 ribbons1 and bells1 the servants being dressed up as ,scaramouche or ,harlequin1 but it all passes off in the quietest way in the world4 ,finally1 toward evening1 several discharges of cannon announce the horse-races1 which enliven the rest of the day4 ,there is no town in the world where one could pass one's time as delightfully as in ,rome1 even were one deprived of all the resources which good society offers4 ,the walks within the walls are a joy1 for one is never tired of revisiting the ,coliseum1 the ,capitol1 the ,pantheon1 the square of ,st4 ,peter's with its colonnades1 its superb obelisk1 and its lovely fountains1 across which the rays of the sun often throw beautiful rainbows4 ,the square is wonderfully impressive at sunset and in the moonlight4 ,whether it was on my way or not1 ,i always took pleasure in crossing it4 ,what astonished me very much in ,rome was to find at the ,coliseum1 on ,sunday mornings1 a crowd of women from the lowest classes1 extravagantly bedizened1 loaded with ornaments1 and wearing in their ears enormous stars of paste diamonds4 ,it was also in this garb that they went to church1 frequently followed by a domestic1 who very often was no other than their husband1 his real occupation being probably that of a valet4 ,these women do nothing at home2 their idleness is such that they live in the greatest want4 ,they may be seen at their windows in the streets of ,rome1 with flowers and feathers on their head1 their faces made up with cosmetics4 ,the upper part of their dress1 which is visible1 indicates great luxury1 so that one is surprised1 upon entering their rooms1 to find that they have on nothing more than a dirty petticoat4 ,the ,roman dames whom ,i mention nevertheless enact aristocratic parts1 and when the time comes to go to the villas they carefully close their shutters in order to create the belief that they have left for the country4 ,i was assured that every woman in ,rome was in the habit of carrying a dagger4 ,i do not1 however1 believe that the great ladies wear any1 but certain it is that the wife of ,denis1 the landscape painter1 with whom ,i lodged1 and who was a ,roman1 showed me the dagger which she always had about her4 ,as for the men of the people1 they are never unprovided with one1 and this brings about a number of grave tragedies4 ,three evenings after my arrival1 for instance1 ,i heard in my street some shouts followed by a great tumult4 ,i sent out to learn what the matter was1 and was informed that a man had just killed another with his dagger4 ,as these peculiar habits made me very much afraid1 ,i was assured that strangers had nothing to fear--that it was simply a question of an act of revenge between ,italians4 ,as for the case in point1 the murderer and his victim had quarrelled ten years ago1 and the first1 having recognised his enemy1 at once struck him down with his dagger1 which proves how long an ,italian can keep a grudge4 ,certainly the customs of the upper class are milder1 since high society is very much the same all over ,europe4 ,however1 ,i am not the best judge1 as with the exception of relations involving my art1 and invitations sent to me for numerous parties1 ,i had little occasion to become acquainted with the patrician ladies of ,rome4 ,what happened to me was what naturally happens to every exile1 which was to seek the company of my own countrymen4 ,in #aghi and #agij ,rome was full of ,french refugees1 whom ,i knew for the greater part1 and with whom ,i soon made friends4 ,we saw the ,princess ,joseph de ,monaco and the ,duchess de ,fleury arrive1 and a host of other notabilities4 ,the ,princess ,joseph de ,monaco had a charming face1 and was very sweet and charming4 ,unfortunately for her1 she did not stay in ,rome4 ,she returned to ,paris to attend to the small amount of property remaining to her children1 and she was there during the ,terror4 ,thrown into prison and condemned to death1 she was taken to the scaffold4 ,the arrival at ,rome of so many people bringing so much news made me undergo different emotions every day4 ,often they were very sad1 but sometimes very sweet4 ,i was told1 for instance1 that a little while after my departure1 when the ,king was begged to have his picture painted1 he had replied3 ,no1 ,i shall wait for ,mme4 ,lebrun to come back1 so that she may make a portrait of me to match the ,queen's4 ,i want her to paint me at full figure1 in the act of commanding ,m4 de la ,prouse to make a journey round the world4 ,,chapter ,v ,,neapolitan ,,days ,,naples -- ,a ,,sleepy ,,ambassadress -- ,,the ,,remarkable ,,life ,,of ,,lady ,,hamilton -- ,,being ,,the ,,story ,,of ,a ,,frivolous ,,flirt ,,fond ,,of ,,beer -- ,,more ,,royal ,,models -- ,,excursions ,,to ,,posilippo -- ,,mlle4 ,,lebrun ,,writes ,a ,,novel ,,at ,,the ,,age ,,of ,,nine -- ,,the ,,queen ,,of ,,naples ,,sits ,,to ,,the ,,authoress -- ,,the ,,wedding ,,of ,,the ,,doge ,,of ,,venice ,,with ,,the ,,sea4 ,i had been in ,rome eight months or thereabouts1 when1 observing that all foreigners were leaving for ,naples1 ,i was seized with a great desire to go there likewise4 ,i confided my plan to the ,cardinal de ,bernis1 who1 while approving1 advised me not to go alone4 ,he spoke to me of a ,m4 ,duvivier1 the husband of ,voltaire's niece1 ,mme4 ,denis1 who proposed to make the journey1 and who would be charmed with my company4 ,m4 ,duvivier came to me1 repeating everything that the ,cardinal had said1 and promising to take care of my daughter and myself4 ,he added1 thus tempting me the more1 that he had in his carriage a sort of stove1 for cooking fowl1 which would be very useful to us1 seeing how bad the fare was in the best inns of ,terracina4 ,all his offers suited me to a marvel1 and so ,i started with this gentleman4 ,his coach was very large2 my daughter and her governess sat in front1 and there was another seat in the middle4 ,a huge man-servant sat on it in front of me in such a way that his large back touched me and ,i had to hold my nose4 ,i am not in the habit of talking while travelling1 so that conversation between us was restricted to the exchange of a few phrases4 ,but as we were crossing the ,pontine marshes1 ,i noticed on the edge of a canal a shepherd whose flock was passing into a meadow all studded with flowers1 and beyond which the sea and ,cape ,circe were visible4 ,what a charming picture6 said ,i to my travelling companion4 ,this shepherd1 these sheep1 the meadow1 the sea6 ,those sheep are all filthy1 he answered2 you ought to see them in ,england4 ,farther along on the ,terracina road1 at the place where you cross a small river in a boat1 ,i saw at my left the line of the ,apennines crowned with magnificent clouds1 which the setting sun illumined4 ,i was unable to refrain from expressing my admiration aloud4 ,those clouds mean that we shall have rain to-morrow1 said my optimistic friend4 ,we reached ,naples at about three or four o'clock4 ,i cannot describe the impression ,i received upon entering the town4 ,that burning sun1 that stretch of sea1 those islands seen in the distance1 that ,vesuvius with a great column of smoke ascending from it1 and the very population so animated and so noisy1 who differ so much from the ,roman that one might suppose they were a thousand miles apart4 ,i had engaged a house at ,chiaja on the edge of the sea4 ,opposite me ,i had the island of ,capri1 and this situation delighted me4 ,hardly had ,i arrived when ,count ,skavronska1 the ,russian ,ambassador at ,naples1 whose house was next to mine1 sent one of his runners to find out how ,i was1 and at the same time had a very choice dinner brought me4 ,i was the more grateful for this kind attention1 as ,i must have died of hunger before there would have been time to get my kitchen ready4 ,the same evening ,i went to thank the ,count1 and thus became acquainted with his charming wife4 ,illustration3 ,,marie ,,caroline1 ,,wife ,,of ,,ferdinand ,,iv4 ,,of ,,naples4 ,count ,skavronska had features that were noble and regular2 he was very pale4 ,this pallor came from the extreme delicacy of his health1 which1 however1 did not prevent him from being highly sociable nor from chatting both gracefully and cleverly4 ,the ,countess was as sweet and pretty as an angel4 ,the famous ,potemkin1 her uncle1 had loaded her with wealth1 for which she had no use4 ,her great delight was to live stretched out on a lounge wrapped in a large black cloak1 and wearing no stays4 ,her mother-in-law sent her1 from ,paris1 cases full of the most beautiful dresses then made by ,mlle4 ,bertin1 ,queen ,marie ,antoinette's dressmaker4 ,i do not believe that the ,countess ever opened one of them1 and when her mother-in-law expressed a wish to see her in the beautiful gowns and head-dresses contained in the cases1 she answered indifferently3 ,what for8 ,why8 ,she gave me the same answer when showing me her jewel-case1 one of the most splendid ,i have ever seen4 ,it contained enormous diamonds given her by ,potemkin1 but ,i never saw them on her4 ,i remember her telling me that in order to go to sleep she had a slave under her bed who told her the same story every night4 ,she was utterly idle all day1 she had no education1 and her conversation was quite empty4 ,but in spite of all that1 thanks to her lovely face and her angelic sweetness1 she had an incomparable charm4 ,count ,skavronska had made me promise to do his wife's portrait before any one else's1 and1 having agreed1 ,i began this portrait two days after my arrival4 ,after the first session1 ,sir ,william ,hamilton1 the ,british ,ambassador at ,naples1 came to me and begged that my first portrait in this town should be that of the splendid woman he presented to me4 ,this was ,mme4 ,harte1 who soon after became ,lady ,hamilton1 and who was famous for her beauty4 ,after the promise to my amiable neighbours1 ,i could not begin the other portrait until ,countess ,skavronska's was well advanced4 ,i then painted ,mme4 ,harte as a bacchante reclining by the edge of the sea1 holding a goblet in her hand4 ,her beautiful face had much animation1 and was a complete contrast to the ,countess's4 ,she had a great quantity of fine chestnut hair1 sufficient to cover her entirely1 and thus1 as a bacchante with flying hair1 she was admirable to behold4 ,the life of ,lady ,hamilton is a romance4 ,her maiden name was ,emma ,lyon4 ,her mother1 it is said1 was a poor servant1 and there is some disagreement as to her birthplace4 ,at the age of thirteen she entered the service of an honest townsman of ,hawarden as a nurse1 but1 tired of the dull life she led1 and believing that she could obtain a more agreeable situation in ,london1 she betook herself thither4 ,the ,prince of ,wales told me that he had seen her at that time in wooden shoes at the stall of a fruit vender1 and that1 although she was very meanly clad1 her pretty face attracted attention4 ,a shopkeeper took her into his service1 but she soon left him to become housemaid under a lady of decent family--a very respectable person4 ,in her house she acquired a taste for novels1 and then for the play4 ,she studied the gestures and vocal inflections of the actors1 and rendered them with remarkable facility4 ,these talents1 neither of which pleased her mistress in the very least1 were the cause of her dismissal4 ,it was then that1 having heard of a tavern where painters were in the habit of meeting1 she conceived the idea of going there to look for employment4 ,her beauty was then at its height4 ,she was rescued from this pitfall by a strange chance4 ,doctor ,graham took her to exhibit her at his house1 covered with a light veil1 as the goddess ,hygeia 7the goddess of health74 ,a number of curious people and amateurs went to see her1 and the painters were especially delighted4 ,some time after this exhibition1 a painter secured her as a model2 he made her pose in a thousand graceful attitudes1 which he reproduced on canvas4 ,she now perfected herself in this new sort of talent which made her famous4 ,nothing1 indeed1 was more remarkable than the ease ,lady ,hamilton acquired in spontaneously giving her features an expression of sorrow or of joy1 and of posing marvellously to represent different people4 ,her eyes a-kindle1 her hair flying1 she showed you a bewitching bacchante2 then1 all of a sudden1 her face expressed grief1 and you saw a magnificent repentant ,magdalen4 ,the day her husband presented her to me1 she insisted on my seeing her in a pose4 ,i was delighted1 but she was dressed in every-day clothes1 which gave me a shock4 ,i had gowns made for her such as ,i wore in order to paint in comfort1 and which consisted of a kind of loose tunic4 ,she also took some shawls to drape herself with1 which she understood very well1 and then was ready to render enough different positions and expressions to fill a whole picture gallery4 ,there is1 in fact1 a collection drawn by ,frederic ,reimberg1 which has been engraved4 ,to return to the romance of ,emma ,lyon4 ,it was while she was with the painter ,i have mentioned that ,lord ,greville fell so desperately in love with her that he intended to marry her1 when he suddenly lost his official place and was ruined4 ,he at once left for ,naples in the hope of obtaining help from his ,uncle ,hamilton1 and took ,emma with him so that she might plead his cause4 ,the uncle1 indeed1 consented to pay all his nephew's debts1 but also decided to marry ,emma ,lyon in spite of his family's remonstrances4 ,lady ,hamilton became as great a lady as can be imagined4 ,it is asserted that the ,queen of ,naples was on an intimate footing with her4 ,certain it is that the ,queen saw her often--politically1 might perhaps be said4 ,lady ,hamilton1 being a most indiscreet woman1 betrayed a number of little diplomatic secrets to the ,queen1 of which she made use to the advantage of her country4 ,lady ,hamilton was not at all clever1 though she was extremely supercilious and disdainful1 so much so that these two defects were conspicuous in all her conversation4 ,but she also possessed considerable craftiness1 of which she made use in order to bring about her marriage4 ,she wanted in style1 and dressed very badly when it was a question of every-day dress4 ,i remember that when ,i did my first picture of her1 as a sibyl1 she was living at ,caserta1 whither ,i went every day1 desiring to progress quickly with the picture4 ,the ,duchess de ,fleury and the ,princess de ,joseph ,monaco were present at the third sitting1 which was the last4 ,i had wound a scarf round her head in the shape of a turban1 one end hanging down in graceful folds4 ,this head-dress so beautified her that the ladies declared she looked ravishing4 ,her husband having invited us all to dinner1 she went to her apartment to change1 and when she came back to meet us in the drawing-room1 her new costume1 which was a very ordinary one indeed1 had so altered her to her disadvantage that the two ladies had all the difficulty in the world in recognising her4 ,when ,i went to ,london in #ahjb ,lady ,hamilton had just lost her husband4 ,i left a card for her1 and she soon came to see me1 wearing deep mourning1 with a dense black veil surrounding her1 and she had had her splendid hair cut off to follow the new ,titus fashion4 ,i found this ,andromache enormous1 for she had become terribly fat4 ,she said that she was very much to be pitied1 that in her husband she had lost a friend and a father1 and that she would never be consoled4 ,i confess that her grief made little impression upon me1 since it seemed to me that she was playing a part4 ,i was evidently not mistaken1 because a few minutes later1 having noticed some music lying on my piano1 she took up a lively tune and began to sing it4 ,as is well known1 ,lord ,nelson had been in love with her at ,naples2 she had maintained a very tender correspondence with him4 ,when ,i went to return her visit one morning1 ,i found her radiant with joy1 and besides she had put a rose in her hair1 like ,nina4 ,i could not help asking her what the rose signified4 ,it is because ,i have just received a letter from ,lord ,nelson1 she answered4 ,the ,duke de ,berri and the ,duke de ,bourbon1 having heard of her poses1 very much desired to witness a spectacle which she had never been willing to offer in ,london4 ,i requested her to give me an evening for the two ,princes1 and she consented4 ,i also invited some other ,french people1 who ,i was aware would be anxious to see this sight4 ,on the day appointed ,i placed in the middle of my drawing-room a very large frame1 with a screen on either side of it4 ,i had had a strong limelight prepared and disposed so that it could not be seen1 but which would light up ,lady ,hamilton as though she were a picture4 ,all the invited guests having arrived1 ,lady ,hamilton assumed various attitudes in this frame in a truly admirable way4 ,she had brought a little girl with her1 who might have been seven or eight years old1 and who resembled her strikingly4 ,one group they made together reminded me of ,poussin's ,rape of the ,sabines4 ,she changed from grief to joy and from joy to terror so rapidly and effectively that we were all enchanted4 ,as ,i kept her for supper1 the ,duke de ,bourbon1 who sat next to me at table1 called my attention to the quantity of porter she drank4 ,i am sure she must have been used to it1 for she was not tipsy after two or three bottles4 ,long after leaving ,london1 in #ahae1 ,i heard that ,lady ,hamilton had ended her days at ,calais1 dying there neglected and forsaken in the most awful poverty4 ,the excursions ,i made at ,naples did not prevent me from accomplishing a great deal of work4 ,i even undertook so many portraits that my first stay in that town extended to six months4 ,i had arrived with the intention of spending only six weeks4 ,the ,french ,ambassador1 the ,baron de ,talleyrand1 came to inform me one morning that the ,queen of ,naples wished me to do the portraits of her two eldest daughters1 and ,i began upon them at once4 ,her ,majesty was preparing to leave for ,vienna1 where she was to busy herself about the marriage of these ,princesses4 ,i remember her saying to me after her return3 ,i have had a successful journey2 ,i have just made two fortunate matches for my daughters4 ,the eldest1 in fact1 soon after was married to the ,emperor of ,austria1 ,francis ,,ii41 and the other1 who was called ,louise1 to the ,grand ,duke of ,tuscany4 ,this second girl was very ugly1 and made such grimaces that ,i did not want to finish her picture4 ,she died a few years after her marriage4 ,during the ,queen's absence ,i also painted the ,prince ,royal4 ,the hour of noon was appointed for the sittings1 and in order to attend ,i was obliged to follow the ,chiaja road in the heat of the day4 ,the houses on the left1 which faced the sea1 being painted a lustrous white1 the sun was reflected from them so vividly that ,i was almost struck blind4 ,to save my eyes1 ,i put on a green veil1 which ,i had never seen any one else do1 and which must have looked rather peculiar1 since only black or white veils were worn4 ,but a few days after ,i saw several ,english women imitating me1 and green veils came into fashion4 ,i also found great comfort in my green veil at ,st4 ,petersburg1 where the snow was so dazzling that it might have killed my eyesight4 ,one of my greatest pleasures was to go for walks on the lovely slope of ,posilippo4 ,under it is the grotto of the same name1 which is a splendid piece of work a mile long1 and which is recognised as having been done by the ,romans4 ,this slope of ,posilippo is covered with country houses1 casinos1 meadows1 and very fine trees with vines winding about them in festoons4 ,it is here that ,virgil's tomb is to be found1 and it is said that laurels grow upon it1 but ,i must confess that ,i saw none4 ,in the evenings ,i walked on the seashore2 ,i frequently took my daughter1 and we often remained sitting there together until moonrise1 enjoying the salubrious air and the gorgeous view4 ,this was a rest for my daughter after her daily studies1 for ,i had resolved to give her the best education possible1 and to this effect ,i had engaged at ,naples masters of writing1 geography1 ,italian1 ,english1 and ,german4 ,she showed a preference for ,german above the others1 and evinced a remarkable aptitude in her various studies4 ,there were some signs in her of a talent for painting1 but her favourite pastime was to compose novels4 ,returning from evening parties to which ,i had gone1 ,i would find her with a pen in her hand and another in her cap2 ,i would then oblige her to go to bed1 but not infrequently did she secretly get up in the middle of the night to finish one of her chapters1 and ,i remember very well how1 at the age of nine1 at ,vienna1 she wrote a little romance as remarkable for its situations as for its style4 ,illustration3 ,,princess ,,christine1 ,,daughter ,,of ,,ferdinand ,,iv4 ,,of ,,naples4 ,all the portraits ,i had engaged to do at ,naples being finished1 ,i went back to ,rome1 but hardly had ,i arrived when the ,queen of ,naples arrived also1 she making a stop there on her return journey from ,vienna4 ,as ,i happened to be in the crowd through which she made her way1 she noticed me and spoke to me1 and begged me with extreme graciousness to visit ,naples once more for the purpose of painting her portrait4 ,it was impossible to refuse1 and ,i complied with her wish at once4 ,upon arriving at ,naples ,i began the portrait of the ,queen forthwith4 ,it was then so terribly hot that one day when ,her ,majesty gave me a sitting we both fell asleep4 ,i took great pleasure in doing this picture4 ,the ,queen of ,naples1 without being as pretty as her younger sister1 the ,queen of ,france1 reminded me strongly of her4 ,her face was worn1 but one readily judged that she had been handsome2 her hands and arms especially were perfect in form and colour4 ,this ,princess1 of whom so much evil has been written and spoken1 had an affectionate nature and simple ways at home4 ,her magnanimity was truly royal4 ,the ,marquis de ,bombelles1 the ,ambassador at ,vienna in #agij1 was the only ,french envoy who refused to swear to the constitution2 the ,queen1 being apprised that by this brave and noble conduct ,m4 de ,bombelles1 the father of a large family1 had been reduced to the most unfortunate position1 wrote him a letter of commendation with her own hand4 ,she added that all sovereigns should be at one in acknowledging faithful subjects1 and asked him to accept a pension of twelve thousand francs4 ,she had a fine character and a good deal of wit4 ,she bore the burden of government alone4 ,the ,king would have nothing to do with it2 he spent most of his time at ,caserta4 ,before ,i left ,naples for good the ,queen presented me with a box of old lacquer1 with her initials surrounded by beautiful diamonds4 ,the initials are worth ten thousand francs2 ,i shall keep them all my life4 ,i had a burning desire to see ,venice2 ,i arrived there the day before ,ascension4 ,m4 ,denon1 whom ,i had known in ,paris1 having heard of this1 came to see me without delay4 ,his cleverness and his great knowledge of the arts made him the most charming mentor1 and ,i congratulated myself upon such a happy encounter4 ,the very next day he took me out on the canal1 where the marriage of the ,doge with the sea was enacted4 ,the ,doge and all the members of the senate were on a vessel gilded inside and out and called the ,bucentaur2 it was surrounded by a swarm of boats1 of which several were occupied by musicians4 ,the ,doge and the senators had on black gowns and white wigs with three bows4 ,when the ,bucentaur had reached the place fixed for the celebration of the marriage1 the ,doge pulled a ring from his finger and threw it into the sea4 ,at the same instant a thousand cannon shots announced to the city and its surroundings the consummation of this great wedding1 which concluded with mass4 ,a number of strangers were present at the ceremony4 ,i observed among them ,prince ,augustus of ,england1 and the charming ,princess ,joseph de ,monaco1 then preparing to go back to ,france for her children4 ,i saw her at ,venice for the last time4 ,,chapter ,,vi ,,turin ,,and ,,vienna ,a ,,queen ,,who ,,refused ,,to ,,be ,,painted -- ,a ,,four-,,course ,,dinner ,,of ,,frogs1 ,,frogs1 ,,frogs ,,and ,,frogs -- ,,villeggiatura -- ,,french ,,refugees ,,at ,,turin -- ,,their ,,heartrending ,,plight -- ,,vienna -- ,,news ,,of ,,the ,,awful ,,murder ,,of ,,louis ,,xvi4 ,,and ,,marie ,,antoinette -- ,,barefoot ,,princess ,,lichtenstein -- ,,inducements ,,to ,,visit ,,russia -- ,,journey ,,thither ,,via ,,dresden -- ,,the ,,sistine ,,madonna4 ,meanwhile1 it being my desire to see ,france again1 ,i reached ,turin with this end in view4 ,the two aunts of ,louis ,,xvi4 had been kind enough to give me letters to ,clotilda1 ,queen of ,sardinia1 their niece4 ,they sent word that they very much wished to have a portrait done by me1 and consequently1 as soon as ,i was settled1 ,i presented myself before ,her ,majesty4 ,she received me very well after reading the letters of ,princess ,adelaide and ,princess ,victoria4 ,she told me that she regretted having to refuse her aunts1 but that1 having renounced the world altogether1 she must decline being painted4 ,what ,i saw indeed seemed quite in accord with her statement and her resolve4 ,the ,queen of ,sardinia had her hair cut short and wore on her head a little cap1 which1 like the rest of her garb1 was the simplest conceivable4 ,her leanness struck me particularly1 as ,i had seen her when she was very young1 before her marriage1 when her stoutness was so pronounced that she was called ,fat ,milady in ,france4 ,be it that this change was caused by too austere religious practices1 or by the sufferings which the misfortunes of her family had made her undergo1 the fact was that she had altered beyond recognition4 ,the ,king joined her in the room where she received me4 ,he was likewise so pale and thin that it was painful to look at them together4 ,i lost no time in going to see ,madame1 the wife of ,louis ,,xviii4 ,she not only accorded me a warm welcome1 but arranged picturesque drives for me in the neighbourhood of ,turin1 which ,i took with her lady-in-waiting1 ,mme4 de ,gourbillon1 and her son4 ,said surroundings are very beautiful1 but our first expedition was not very auspicious4 ,we set out in the heat of the day to visit a monastery situated high up on a mountain4 ,as the mountain was very steep1 we were obliged to get out of the carriage when we had gone half way and then climb on foot4 ,i remember passing a spring of the clearest water1 whose drops sparkled like diamonds1 and which peasants declared to be a cure for sundry diseases4 ,after climbing so long that we were exhausted1 we at length arrived at the monastery dying with heat and hunger4 ,the table was already laid for the monks and for travellers1 which filled us with joy1 since it may be imagined how impatient we were for dinner4 ,as there was some delay1 we thought that something special was being done for us1 seeing that ,madame had recommended us to the monks in a letter she had given us addressed to them4 ,at last a dish of frogs' breasts was served1 which ,i took for a chicken stew4 ,but as soon as ,i tasted it ,i found it impossible to eat another morsel1 hungry as ,i was4 ,then three other dishes were brought on1 boiled1 fried and grilled1 and ,i set great hopes on each in turn4 ,alas6 they were only frogs again6 ,so we ate nothing but dry bread1 and drank water1 these monks never drinking nor offering wine4 ,my heart's desire was then an omelet--but there were no eggs in the house4 ,after my visit to the monastery ,i met ,porporati1 who wanted me to live with him4 ,he proposed occupying a farm he owned two miles from ,turin1 where he had some plain but comfortable rooms4 ,i gladly accepted this offer1 as ,i hated living in town1 and at once went to establish myself with my daughter and her governess in this retreat4 ,the farm stood in the open country1 surrounded with fields1 and little streams edged by trees high enough to form delightful bowers4 ,from morning till night ,i took rapturous walks in these enchanting solitudes4 ,my child enjoyed the pure air as much as ,i did the quiet1 peaceful life that we led4 ,alas6 it was in this peaceful place1 while ,i was in such a happy state of mind1 that ,i was struck a most cruel blow4 ,the cart which brought our letters having come one evening1 the carter handed me one from my friend ,m4 de ,rivire1 my sister-in-law's brother1 who apprised me of the dreadful events of the #ajth of ,august and supplied me with some horrible details4 ,i was quite overcome1 and made up my mind to go back to ,turin immediately4 ,on entering the town1 great heavens6 what did ,i behold6 ,streets1 squares1 were all filled with men and women of all ages who had fled from ,french towns and come to ,turin in search of a home4 ,they were coming in by thousands1 and the sight broke my heart4 ,most of them brought neither baggage1 nor money1 nor even food1 for they had had no time to do anything but think of saving their lives4 ,since then the case has been cited to me of the aged ,duchess de ,villeroi1 whose lady's maid1 possessing a small sum of money1 kept her alive on the way by a daily expenditure of ten sous4 ,the children were crying with hunger in lamentable fashion4 ,in fact1 ,i never saw anything more pitiful4 ,the ,king of ,sardinia ordered these unfortunates to be housed and fed1 but there was not room for all4 ,madame also did much to succour them2 we went all over the town1 accompanied by her equerry1 seeking lodgings and victuals for the poor wretches1 without being able to find as many of either as were wanted4 ,illustration3 ,,marie ,,antoinette1 ,,queen ,,of ,,france4 ,never shall ,i forget the impression made upon me by an old soldier1 decorated with the cross of ,st4 ,louis1 who might have been about sixty-five years old4 ,he was a fine man with a noble mien1 supporting himself against the curbstone at the corner of a lonely street2 he accosted nobody and asked for nothing2 ,i believe he would rather have died of hunger than beg1 but the profound unhappiness imprinted on his face compelled interest at first sight4 ,we went straight to him1 giving him a little money that remained to us1 and he thanked us with sobs in his throat4 ,the next day he was lodged in the ,king's palace1 as several other refugees were1 for there was no more room in the town4 ,it may well be imagined that ,i abandoned the plan of going to ,paris4 ,i decided to leave for ,vienna instead4 ,vienna is of considerable extent1 if you count its thirty-two suburbs4 ,it is full of very fine palaces4 ,the ,imperial ,museum boasts pictures by the greatest masters1 and ,i often went to admire them1 as well as those belonging to ,prince ,lichtenstein4 ,his gallery comprises seven rooms1 of which one contains only pictures by ,van ,dyck and the others some fine ,titians1 ,caravaggios1 ,rubens1 ,canalettos1 and so on4 ,there are also several masterpieces by the last-named painter in the ,imperial ,museum4 ,it has been said with truth that the ,prater is one of the best promenades in existence4 ,it is a long1 magnificent avenue in which large numbers of elegant carriages drive up and down1 and which is lined on either side by sitting spectators1 just as in the great avenue of the ,tuileries4 ,but what renders the ,prater more pleasant and more picturesque is that the avenue leads to a wood1 which is not very thick1 and full of deer so tame that one can approach them without frightening them4 ,there is another promenade on the bank of the ,danube1 where every ,sunday various companies of the middle classes meet together to eat fried chicken4 ,the park of ,schoenbrunn is also well frequented1 especially on ,sundays4 ,its broad avenues1 and the pretty resting places on the heights at the end of the park1 make it very pleasant for walking in4 ,in ,vienna ,i went to several balls1 especially to those given by the ,russian ,ambassador1 ,count ,rasomovski4 ,they danced the waltz there with such fury that ,i could not imagine how all these people1 spinning round at such a rate1 did not fall down from giddiness2 but men and women were so accustomed to this violent exercise that they never rested a single moment while a ball lasted4 ,the polonaise was often danced1 too1 and was much less fatiguing1 for this dance is nothing more than a procession in which you quietly walk two by two4 ,it suits pretty women to perfection1 as there is time to look their faces and figures all over4 ,i also wanted to see a great court ball4 ,i was invited to one4 ,the ,emperor ,francis ,,ii4 had taken for his second wife ,maria ,theresa of the two ,sicilies1 daughter to the ,queen of ,naples4 ,i had painted this ,princess in #agib1 but ,i found her so changed on meeting her at this ball that ,i had difficulty in recognising her4 ,her nose had lengthened1 and her cheeks had sunk so much that she resembled her father4 ,i was sorry for her sake that she had not kept her mother's features1 who reminded me strongly of our charming ,queen of ,france4 ,a person whose friendship ,i had great pleasure in renewing at ,vienna was the ,countess de ,brionne1 ,princess de ,lorraine4 ,she had been most kind to me in my early youth1 and ,i resumed the agreeable habit of supping at her house1 where ,i often met the valiant ,prince ,nassau1 so formidable in a fight1 so gentle and modest in a salon4 ,i also made frequent visits at the house of the ,countess de ,rombec1 sister of ,count ,cobentzel4 ,the ,countess de ,rombec gathered about her the most distinguished society of ,vienna4 ,it was under her roof that ,i saw ,prince ,metternich and his son1 who has since become prime minister1 and who was then nothing but a very handsome young man4 ,i there met again the amiable ,prince de ,ligne2 he told us about the delightful journey he had made in the ,crimea with the ,empress ,catherine ,,ii41 and inspired me with a wish to see that great ruler4 ,in the same house ,i encountered the ,duchess de ,guiche1 whose lovely face had not changed in the least4 ,her mother1 the ,duchess de ,polignac1 lived permanently at a place near ,vienna4 ,it was there that she heard of the death of ,louis ,,xvi41 which affected her health very seriously1 but when she heard the dreadful news of the ,queen's death she succumbed altogether4 ,her grief changed her to such an extent that her pretty face became unrecognisable1 and every one foresaw that she had not much longer to live4 ,she did1 in fact1 die in a little while1 leaving her family and some friends who would not leave her disconsolate at their loss4 ,i can judge how terrible that which had happened in ,france must have been to her by the sorrow ,i experienced myself4 ,i learned nothing from the newspapers1 for ,i had read them no more since the day when1 having opened one at ,mme4 de ,rombec's1 ,i had found the names of nine persons of my acquaintance who had been guillotined4 ,people even took care to hide all political pamphlets from me4 ,i thus heard of the horrible occurrence through my brother1 who wrote it down and sent the letter without giving any further particulars whatever4 ,his heart broken1 he simply wrote that ,louis ,,xvi4 and ,marie ,antoinette had perished on the scaffold4 ,afterward1 from compassion toward myself1 ,i always abstained from putting the least question concerning what accompanied or preceded that awful murder1 so that ,i should have known nothing about it to this very day had it not been for a certain fact to which ,i may possibly refer in the future4 ,as soon as spring came ,i took a little house in a village near ,vienna and went to settle there4 ,this village1 called ,huitzing1 was adjacent to the park of ,schoenbrunn4 ,i took with me to ,huitzing the large portrait ,i was then doing of the ,princess ,lichtenstein1 to finish it4 ,this young ,princess was very well built2 her pretty face had a sweet1 angelic expression1 which gave me the idea of representing her as ,iris4 ,i painted her standing1 as if about to fly into the air4 ,she had about her a fluttering1 rainbow-coloured scarf4 ,of course ,i painted her with naked feet1 but when the picture was hung in her husband's gallery the heads of the family were greatly scandalised at seeing the ,princess exhibited without shoes1 and the ,prince told me that he had had a pair of nice1 little slippers placed under the portrait1 which slippers1 so he had informed the grandparents1 had slipped off her feet and fallen on the ground4 ,at ,vienna ,i was as happy as any one possibly could be away from her kin and country4 ,in the winter the city offered one of the most agreeable and brilliant societies of ,europe1 and when the fine weather returned ,i delightedly sought my little country retreat4 ,not thinking of leaving ,austria before ,i could safely return to ,france1 the ,russian ,ambassador and some of his compatriots urged me strongly to go to ,st4 ,petersburg1 where1 they assured me1 the ,empress would be pleased to see me4 ,everything that the ,prince de ,ligne had told me about ,catherine ,,ii4 inspired me with an irrepressible desire to get a glance at that potentate4 ,moreover ,i reasoned correctly that even a short stay in ,russia would complete the fortune ,i had decided to make before resuming residence in ,paris4 ,so ,i made up my mind to go4 ,illustration3 ,,queen ,,marie ,,antoinette4 ,after a sojourn at ,vienna of two years and a half1 ,i left that place in ,april of the year #agie for ,prague4 ,i then passed on to ,budweis1 whose surroundings are most engaging4 ,the town is deserted1 the fortifications are in ruins2 there are only old men and some women and children to be met with--and not many of those4 ,finally we reached ,dresden by a very narrow road skirting the ,elbe at a great height1 the river flowing through a broad valley4 ,the very day after my arrival ,i visited the famous ,dresden gallery1 unexcelled in the world4 ,its masterpieces are so well known that ,i render no special account4 ,i will only observe that here1 as everywhere else1 one recognises how far ,raphael stands above all other painters4 ,i had inspected several rooms of the gallery1 when ,i found myself before a picture which filled me with an admiration greater than anything else in the art of painting could have evoked4 ,it represents the ,virgin1 standing on some clouds and holding the infant ,jesus in her arms4 ,this figure is of a beauty and a nobility worthy of the divine brush that traced it2 the face of the child bears an expression at once innocent and heavenly2 the draperies are most accurately drawn1 and their colouring is exquisite4 ,at the right of the ,virgin is a saint done with admirable fidelity to life1 his two hands being especially to be noted4 ,at the left is a young saint1 with head inclined1 looking at two angels at the bottom of the picture4 ,her face is all loveliness1 truth and modesty4 ,the two little angels are leaning on their hands1 their eyes raised to the persons above them1 and their heads are done with an ingenuity and a delicacy not to be conveyed in words4 ,being in great haste to get to ,st4 ,petersburg1 ,i went from ,dresden to ,berlin1 where ,i only remained five days1 my project being to return thither and make a longer stay on my way back from ,russia1 for the purpose of seeing ,prussia's charming ,queen4 ,,chapter ,,vii ,,saint ,,petersburg ,,arrival ,,at ,,st4 ,,petersburg -- ,,the ,,beautiful ,,grandduchess ,,elisabeth -- ,,catherine ,,ii4 ,,receives ,,mme4 ,,lebrun -- ,,and ,,is ,,most ,,gracious -- ,,petty ,,court ,,intrigues -- ,a ,,visit ,,to ,,count ,,strogonoff -- ,,hospitality ,,of ,,the ,,russians -- ,,an ,,ambassador ,,as ,,gardener -- ,,princess ,,dolgoruki ,,and ,,her ,,hideous ,,admirer -- ,,the ,,extravagances ,,of ,,potemkin -- ,,his ,,end4 ,i entered ,st4 ,petersburg on the #beth of ,july1 #agie1 by the road from ,peterhoff1 which gave me a favourable idea of the city1 for this road is lined on both sides by delightful country houses1 with gardens of the best taste in the ,english style4 ,their residents have taken advantage of the soil1 which is very marshy1 to adorn the gardens--where there are kiosks and pretty bridges--by canals and little streams4 ,but it is a pity that a dreadful dampness spoils this pleasant scene of an evening2 even before sunset such a fog rises over the road that one seems to be enveloped in thick1 dark smoke4 ,magnificent as ,i had conceived the city to be1 ,i was enchanted by the aspect of its monuments1 its handsome mansions1 and its broad streets1 one of which1 called the ,prospekt1 is a mile long4 ,the ,neva1 clear and limpid1 cuts through the town1 laden with vessels and barks unceasingly moving up and down1 and this greatly adds to the liveliness of the town4 ,the quays of the ,neva are of granite1 like those of the large canals dug through the town by ,catherine4 ,on one bank of the river are splendid edifices3 the ,academy of ,arts1 the ,academy of ,sciences and a number of others are reflected in the ,neva4 ,there was no grander sight on a moonlight night1 ,i was told1 than the bulk of those majestic piles1 resembling ancient temples4 ,altogether1 ,st4 ,petersburg took me back to the times of ,agamemnon1 partly through the grandeur of the buildings and partly through the popular garb1 which reminded me of the dress of antiquity4 ,though ,i have just spoken of moonlight1 ,i was unable to enjoy it at the time of my arrival1 for in the month of ,july there is not a single hour of actual darkness in ,st4 ,petersburg4 ,the sun sets at about half-past ten1 and it is merely dusk until twilight1 which begins half an hour after midnight1 so that one can always see plainly4 ,i have often supped at eleven o'clock by daylight4 ,my first care was to take a good rest1 for1 after ,riga1 the roads had been most horrible4 ,large stones1 one on top of the other1 gave my carriage1 which was one of the roughest in the world1 a violent shock at every moment4 ,and the inns being so bad as to exclude every possibility of staying at them1 we had jolted and jerked on to ,st4 ,petersburg without a stop4 ,i was far from recovered from all my fatigue--since the term of my residence in ,st4 ,petersburg had been only twenty-four hours--when a visitor was announced in the person of the ,french ,ambassador1 ,count ,esterhazy4 ,he congratulated me on my arrival at ,st4 ,petersburg1 telling me that he was about to inform the ,empress of it and at the same time to take her orders for my presentation4 ,very little later ,i received a visit from the ,count de ,choiseul-,gouffier4 ,while conversing with him ,i confessed what happiness it would give me to see the great ,catherine1 but ,i did not dissemble the fright and embarrassment ,i expected to undergo when ,i should be presented to that powerful ,princess4 ,you will find it quite easy1 he replied4 ,when you see the ,empress you will be surprised at her good nature2 she is really an excellent woman4 ,i acknowledge that ,i was astonished by his remark1 the justice of which ,i could scarcely believe1 in view of what ,i had heard up to that time4 ,it is true that the ,prince de ,ligne1 during the charming narration of his journey in the ,crimea1 had recounted several facts proving that this great ,princess had manners that were as gracious as they were simple1 but an excellent woman was hardly the thing to call her4 ,however1 the same evening ,count ,esterhazy1 on returning from ,czarskoiesielo1 where the ,empress was living1 came to tell me that ,her ,majesty would receive me the next day at one o'clock4 ,such a quick presentation1 which ,i had not hoped for1 put me into a very awkward position4 ,i had nothing but very plain muslin dresses1 as ,i usually wore no others1 and it was impossible to have an ornamental gown made from one day to the next1 even at ,st4 ,petersburg4 ,count ,esterhazy had said he would call for me at ten o'clock precisely and take me to breakfast with his wife1 who also lived at ,czarskoiesielo1 so that when the appointed hour struck ,i started with serious apprehensions about my dress1 which certainly was no court dress4 ,on arriving at ,mme4 d',esterhazy's1 ,i1 in fact1 took note of her amazement4 ,her obliging civility did not prevent her from asking me1 ,have you not brought another gown8 ,i turned crimson at her question1 and explained how time had been wanting to have a more suitable gown made4 ,her displeased looks increased my anxiety to such a degree that ,i needed to summon up all my courage when the moment came to go before the ,empress4 ,the ,count gave me his arm1 and we were walking across a portion of the park1 when1 at a ground-floor window1 ,i espied a young person who was watering a pot of pansies4 ,she was seventeen years old at most2 her features were well formed and regular1 her face a perfect oval2 her fine complexion was not bright1 but was of a paleness completely in harmony with the expression of her countenance1 whose sweetness was angelic4 ,her fair hair floated over her neck and forehead4 ,she was clad in a white tunic1 a carelessly knotted girdle surrounding a waist as slender and supple as a nymph's4 ,as ,i have described her1 so ravishingly did this young person stand out against the background of her apartment1 adorned with pillars and draped in pink and silver gauze1 that ,i exclaimed1 ,that is ,psyche6 ,it was ,princess ,elisabeth1 the wife of ,alexander4 ,she addressed me1 and kept me long enough to tell me a thousand flattering things4 ,she then added1 ,we have wanted you here for a long time1 ,mme4 ,lebrun--so much so that ,i have sometimes dreamed you had already come4 ,i parted from her with regret1 and have always preserved a memory of that charming vision4 ,a few minutes later ,i was alone with the autocrat of all the ,russias4 ,the ,ambassador had told me ,i must kiss her hand1 in accordance with which custom she drew off one of her gloves1 and this ought to have reminded me what to do4 ,but ,i forgot all about it4 ,the truth is1 that the sight of this famous woman made such an impression upon me that ,i could not possibly think of anything else but to look at her4 ,i was at first extremely surprised to find her short2 ,i had imagined her a great height--something like her renown4 ,she was very stout1 but still had a handsome face1 which her white hair framed to perfection4 ,genius seemed to have its seat on her broad1 high forehead4 ,her eyes were soft and small1 her nose was quite ,greek1 her complexion lively1 and her features very mobile4 ,she at once said in a voice that was soft though rather thick3 ,i am delighted1 madame1 to see you here2 your reputation had preceded you4 ,i am fond of the arts and especially of painting4 ,i am not an adept1 but a fancier4 ,everything else she said during this interview1 which was rather long1 in reference to her wish that ,i might like ,russia well enough to remain a long time1 bore the stamp of such great amiability that my shyness vanished1 and by the time ,i took leave of ,her ,majesty ,i was entirely reassured4 ,only ,i could not forgive myself for not having kissed her hand1 which was very beautiful and very white1 and ,i deplored that oversight the more as ,count ,esterhazy reproached me with it4 ,as for what ,i was wearing1 she did not seem to have paid the least attention to it4 ,or else perhaps she may have been easier to please than our ,ambassadress4 ,i went over part of the gardens at ,czarskoiesielo1 which are a veritable little fairyland4 ,the ,empress had a terrace from them communicating with her apartment1 and on this terrace she kept a large number of birds4 ,i was told that every morning she went out to feed them1 and that this was one of her chief pleasures4 ,directly after my audience ,her ,majesty testified her wish to have me spend the summer in that beautiful region4 ,she commanded her stewards1 of whom the old ,prince ,bariatinski was one1 to give me an apartment in the castle1 as she desired to have me near her1 so that she might see me paint4 ,but ,i afterward found out that these gentlemen took no pains to put me near the ,empress1 and that in spite of her repeated orders they always maintained that they had no lodgings at their disposal4 ,what astonished me most of all1 when ,i was informed of this matter1 was that these courtiers1 suspecting me to belong to the party of the ,count d',artois1 were afraid lest ,i had come to get ,esterhazy replaced by another ,ambassador4 ,it is probable that the ,count was in connivance with them about all this1 but anybody was surely little acquainted with me who did not know that ,i was too busy with my art to give any time to politics1 even if ,i had not always felt an aversion to everything smacking of intrigue4 ,moreover1 aside from the honour of being lodged with the ,empress and the pleasure of inhabiting such a fine place1 everything would have been stiff and irksome for me at ,czarskoiesielo4 ,i have always had the greatest need to enjoy my liberty1 and1 for the sake of following my own inclination1 ,i have always infinitely preferred living in my own house4 ,moreover1 the reception ,i met with in ,russia was well calculated to console me for a petty court intrigue4 ,i cannot say how eagerly and with what kind-hearted affability a stranger is sought after in this country1 especially if possessing some talent4 ,my letters of introduction became quite superfluous2 not only was ,i at once invited to live with the best and pleasantest families1 but ,i found several former acquaintances in ,st4 ,petersburg1 and even some old friends4 ,first1 there was ,count ,strogonoff1 a true lover of the arts1 whose portrait ,i had painted at ,paris in my early youth4 ,it was to us both an extreme pleasure to meet once more4 ,he owned a splendid collection of pictures in ,st4 ,petersburg1 and near the town1 at ,kaminostroff1 a delightful ,italian villa1 where he gave a great dinner every ,sunday4 ,he called for me to take me there1 and ,i was enraptured with the place4 ,the villa stood by the high road1 and its windows overlooked the ,neva4 ,the garden1 whose boundaries were immense1 was laid out in the ,english manner4 ,a number of boats arrived from all directions1 bringing visitors to ,count ,strogonoff's1 for a number of people who were not invited to dinner came to walk in the park4 ,the ,count also allowed merchants to set up their stalls there1 so that this beautiful place was enlivened with an amusing fair1 especially as the costumes of the different neighbouring districts were picturesque and varied4 ,about three o'clock we went up on a covered terrace lined with pillars1 bright daylight falling between them from every side4 ,on one hand we enjoyed the view of the park1 and on the other that of the ,neva1 covered with a thousand boats4 ,the weather was the finest in the world1 for the summers are splendid in ,russia1 a country that in ,july ,i have often found hotter than ,italy4 ,we dined on this same terrace1 and the dinner was magnificent2 at dessert gorgeous fruits were served1 and remarkably fine melons1 which seemed to me a great luxury4 ,as soon as we sat down at table delightful instrumental music was heard1 and continued throughout the dinner4 ,the overture to ,iphigenia was executed entrancingly4 ,i was greatly surprised when ,count ,strogonoff informed me that each of the musicians played but one note2 it was impossible for me to conceive how all these individual sounds could form into such a perfect whole1 and how any expression could grow out of such a mechanical performance4 ,after dinner we took a delightful walk in the park2 then1 toward evening1 we went back to the terrace1 whence1 at nightfall1 we witnessed a very fine display of fireworks which the ,count had had in store for us4 ,reflected in the waters of the ,neva1 these fireworks were of beautiful effect4 ,finally1 by way of concluding the pleasures of the day1 there arrived in two very narrow little boats some ,indians1 who danced before us4 ,their dances consisted in going through light movements without stirring from their places1 and entertained us considerably4 ,count ,strogonoff's house was far from being the only one kept with such splendour4 ,at ,st4 ,petersburg1 as at ,moscow1 a number of noblemen owning enormous fortunes were in the habit of setting an open table1 so that a well-recommended stranger was never under the necessity of having recourse to an inn4 ,there was a dinner or a supper everywhere2 nothing was embarrassing but your choice4 ,i remember1 toward the end of my stay in ,st4 ,petersburg1 how ,prince ,narischkin1 the ,grand ,equerry1 always held open table to the extent of twenty-five or thirty covers for strangers who were recommended to him4 ,these hospitable customs exist in the interior of ,russia1 whither modern civilisation has not yet penetrated4 ,when ,russian noblemen go upon visits to their estates1 which are usually situated at great distances from the capital1 they stop on the way in the houses of their countrymen1 where1 without being personally known by the host1 they1 their servants and their horses are taken in and treated as handsomely as possible1 even should they remain a month4 ,i once saw a traveller who had journeyed across this vast country with two friends4 ,all three had traversed those distant provinces as they might have done during the ,golden ,age1 in the days of the patriarchs4 ,they had everywhere been lodged and fed with such liberality that their purses had become almost useless4 ,they had not been able to so much as force drink-money on the people who had waited upon them and cared for their horses4 ,their hosts1 who for the most part were traders or husbandmen1 had expressed astonishment at the warmth of their gratitude4 ,if we were in your country1 said they1 you would do the same for us4 ,i only wish this had been true4 ,the summer ends in ,russia with the month of ,august1 and there is no autumn4 ,i often went walking at ,czarskoiesielo1 whose park1 bounded by the sea1 is one of the loveliest sights imaginable4 ,it is full of monuments which the ,empress was wont to call her caprices4 ,there are a superb marble bridge in the ,palladian style1 ,turkish baths--trophies of ,romazoff's and ,orloff's victories--a temple with thirty-two pillars1 and then the colonnade and the great stairway of ,hercules4 ,the park has unrivalled avenues of trees4 ,opposite the castle is a long1 broad lawn1 and at the end of it a cherry orchard1 where ,i remember having frequently eaten excellent cherries4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,princess ,,de ,,talleyrand4 ,count ,cobentzel very much wished me to make the acquaintance of a woman whose cleverness and beauty ,i had often heard vaunted--the ,princess ,dolgoruki4 ,i received an invitation from her to dine at ,alexandrovski1 where she had a country house1 and the ,count came for me to take me there with my daughter4 ,this very large house was furnished without ostentation1 and it was a great pleasure to me to watch the continual passage of the boats1 in which the rowers sang in chorus4 ,the songs of the ,russian people have a somewhat barbarous originality1 but are melancholy and melodious4 ,the beauty of ,princess ,dolgoruki struck me very much4 ,her features had the ,greek character mixed with something ,jewish1 especially in profile4 ,her long1 dark chestnut hair1 carelessly taken up1 touched her shoulders4 ,her figure was perfect1 and in her whole person she exhibited at once nobility and grace without the least affectation4 ,she received me with so much amiability and civility that ,i willingly acceded to her request that ,i might stay a week with her4 ,the charming ,princess ,kurakin1 whose acquaintance ,i had made1 was living with the ,princess ,dolgoruki1 these ladies and ,count ,cobentzel keeping house together4 ,the company was very numerous1 and no one thought of anything but amusement4 ,after dinner we took delightful rides in handsome boats furnished with red velvet1 gold-fringed curtains4 ,a choir1 preceding us in a plainer boat1 charmed us with their singing1 which was always perfectly exact1 even at the highest notes4 ,the day of my arrival we had music in the evening2 the next day there was a delightful play4 ,dalayrac's ,underground was given4 ,princess ,dolgoruki played the part of ,camille2 young ,de la ,ribaussire1 who afterward became minister in ,russia1 played the boy2 and ,count ,cobentzel1 the gardener4 ,i remember how1 during the performance1 a messenger arrived from ,vienna with despatches for the ,count1 who was ,austrian ,ambassador at ,st4 ,petersburg1 and how1 at the sight of the man dressed as a gardener1 he did not want to give up the despatches1 this giving rise to a most diverting argument between them behind the scenes4 ,at the end of the week1 the whole of which had seemed to last but a minute1 ,i was obliged1 to my regret1 to leave the hospitable roof of ,princess ,dolgoruki1 as ,i had made a number of engagements to paint portraits4 ,i1 however1 formed several connections at ,alexandrovski which proved infinitely agreeable during my whole stay in ,russia4 ,count ,cobentzel was passionately devoted to the ,princess ,dolgoruki1 without her responding in the least to his importunities2 but the coolness she showed toward his intentions by no means drove him away4 ,his sole object was the happiness of being in her presence2 whether in the country or in town1 he scarcely ever left her for a moment4 ,so soon as his despatches1 written with great facility1 were sent off1 he rushed to her side and made a complete slave of himself4 ,he was seen to fly at the least word1 the least gesture of his divinity4 ,if a play was given he took any part she offered him1 even if the rle was not at all suited to his appearance4 ,for ,count ,cobentzel1 who looked about fifty1 was very ugly1 and squinted horribly4 ,he was rather tall1 but also extremely fat1 which1 however1 did not prevent him from being quite active1 particularly when it was a case of executing the demands of his dearly beloved ,princess4 ,otherwise he was quick and clever1 his conversation was enlivened with a thousand anecdotes which he could recount to perfection1 and ,i always knew him as the best and most obliging of men4 ,what made the ,princess ,dolgoruki indifferent to the sighs of ,count ,cobentzel and to those of many other admirers was the fact that from one of them she had received attentions more brilliant than ever woman had had lavished upon her by any lovelorn king4 ,the famous ,potemkin--he who had said the word impossible should be ruled out of the dictionary--had testified his adoration for her with a magnificence surpassing all that we read of in the ,thousand and ,one ,nights4 ,when1 in #agia1 after making her journey in the ,crimea1 the ,empress ,catherine ,,ii4 returned to ,st4 ,petersburg1 ,prince ,potemkin remained behind in command of the army1 several of the generals having brought their wives4 ,it was then that he had occasion to meet ,princess ,dolgoruki4 ,her name1 too1 was ,catherine1 and the ,prince made a great banquet for her1 nominally in honour of the ,empress4 ,at table the ,princess was seated by his side4 ,at dessert1 on the table were put crystal goblets full of diamonds1 which were served to the ladies by the spoonful4 ,the queen of the festival observing this luxury1 ,potemkin whispered to her1 ,since this celebration is for you1 why should you be astonished at anything8 ,he would spare no sacrifice to satisfy a wish or a whim of that charming woman4 ,learning one day that she was in want of ball slippers of a kind she usually sent for to ,france1 ,potemkin despatched an express messenger to ,paris1 who hastened day and night to bring back these slippers4 ,it was well known in ,st4 ,petersburg that to afford the ,princess ,dolgoruki a spectacle he much desired her to see he had assaulted the fortress of ,otschakoff sooner than had been agreed upon1 and perhaps sooner than was prudent4 ,no woman1 it seems to me1 had greater dignity of mien and manner than ,princess ,dolgoruki4 ,having seen my ,sibyl1 about which she was very enthusiastic1 she wished me to make her portrait in this style1 and ,i had the pleasure of doing her bidding to her entire satisfaction4 ,the portrait done1 she sent me a very handsome carriage1 and put on my arm a bracelet made of a tress of her hair with a diamond inscription reading1 ,adorn her who adorns her century4 ,i was deeply touched by the graciousness and delicacy of such a gift4 ,at the time of my reaching ,st4 ,petersburg1 ,prince ,potemkin had already been there some years1 but he was still spoken of as though he had been a wizard4 ,some idea of what an extraordinary and high-flying imagination he had may be obtained from reading what the ,prince de ,ligne and the ,count de ,sgur have written about the journey he arranged for the ,empress ,catherine ,,ii4 in the ,crimea2 those palaces1 those wooden villages built all along the route1 as if by a magic wand1 that huge forest going up in flames by way of fireworks for ,her ,majesty--the whole journey1 in fact1 was a fantastic affair4 ,his niece1 ,countess ,skavronska1 said to me in ,vienna1 ,had my uncle known you1 he would have loaded you with distinctions and riches4 ,certain it is that at every opportunity this famous man was generous to prodigality and luxurious to madness4 ,all his tastes were extravagant1 all his habits royal1 so much so that1 although he possessed a fortune exceeding that of some sovereigns1 the ,prince de ,ligne told me that he had known him to be without money4 ,favour and power had accustomed ,prince ,potemkin to satisfy his slightest desires4 ,here is an example which proves the point4 ,one day1 when the talk ran on the size of one of his adjutants1 he declared that a certain officer in the ,russian army--whom he named--was taller still4 ,after every one who knew the officer in question had contradicted ,potemkin1 he forthwith sent off a messenger with an order to bring back with him this officer1 who was then eight hundred miles away4 ,upon hearing that he had been sent for by the ,prince1 his joy was unbounded1 since he believed that he had been promoted to a higher rank4 ,his disappointment may therefore be imagined when1 on his arrival in camp1 he was informed that he was to be measured with ,potemkin's adjutant1 and that he must then return without any other reward than the fatigue of the long journey4 ,the man whom a long period of favour had1 so to say1 accustomed to reign beside the sovereign was unable to survive the thought of disgrace4 ,catherine ,,ii4 sent to ,prince ,repnin her orders to treat for peace1 to which ,potemkin was strongly opposed4 ,angry as possible1 he set out upon the instant in the hope of preventing the signature1 but only to learn at ,yassy that peace was concluded4 ,this news was fatal to him4 ,already indisposed1 he now fell mortally ill1 which did not hinder him from at once beginning the return journey to ,st4 ,petersburg4 ,but in a few hours his ailment grew so serious that it became out of the question for him to support the movement of a carriage4 ,he was laid out in a meadow and covered with his cloak1 and there ,potemkin breathed his last sigh1 on the #aeth of ,october1 #agia1 in the arms of ,countess ,branicka1 his niece4 ,plato ,zouboff1 a young lieutenant of the guard1 succeeded ,potemkin in the favour of the ,empress1 who showered honours and wealth upon him4 ,,chapter ,,viii ,,life ,,in ,,russia ,,painting ,,russian ,,royalties -- ,,festivities ,,at ,,court -- ,,the ,,pangs ,,of ,,waiting ,,for ,,dinner -- ,,to ,,keep ,,warm1 ,,spend ,,the ,,winter ,,in ,,russia -- ,,the ,,hardiness ,,of ,,its ,,common ,,people -- ,,who ,,are ,,well ,,suited ,,with ,,serfdom -- ,,and ,,remarkably ,,honest -- ,,the ,,quaint ,,ceremonial ,,of ,,blessing ,,the ,,neva -- ,,various ,,social ,,customs4 ,upon ,her ,majesty's return from ,czarskoiesielo ,count ,strogonoff came to me with her command to paint the two ,grand ,duchesses1 ,alexandrina and ,helen4 ,these ,princesses might have been thirteen or fourteen years old1 and their faces were angelic1 though of entirely different expression4 ,their complexions especially were so tender and delicate that one might have supposed they lived on ambrosia4 ,the eldest1 ,alexandrina1 was of the ,greek type of beauty and very much resembled ,alexander1 but the face of the younger1 ,helen1 was far more subtle4 ,i grouped them together1 holding and looking at the ,empress's portrait2 their dress was somewhat ,greek in style1 quite simple and modest4 ,as soon as ,i had done their pictures the ,empress ordered me to paint the ,grand ,duchess ,elisabeth1 not long married to ,alexander4 ,i have already said what a ravishing person this ,princess was2 ,i should very much have liked not to represent such a heavenly figure in common dress1 and ,i have always wanted to paint an historical picture of her and ,alexander1 so regular were the features of both4 ,i painted her standing1 in full court dress1 arranging some flowers near a basketful of others4 ,when ,i had done her large portrait she had another done for her mother1 in which ,i painted her leaning on a cushion1 with a diaphanous violet wrap4 ,i can say that the more sittings the ,grand ,duchess ,elisabeth gave me1 the kinder and more affectionate did she become4 ,one morning1 while she was posing1 ,i was seized with a giddy fit and grew so dazed that ,i had to close my eyes4 ,she took alarm1 and herself quickly ran for water1 bathed my eyes1 tended me with inexpressible kindness1 and sent to inquire after me as soon as ,i had got home4 ,about this time1 too1 ,i did a portrait of the ,grand ,duchess ,anne1 the wife of the ,grand ,duke ,constantine4 ,she1 born as ,princess of ,coburg1 without having a celestial face like her sister-in-law1 was nevertheless sweetly pretty4 ,she was probably sixteen1 and her features were all life and mirth4 ,not that this young ,princess ever knew much happiness in ,russia4 ,if it can be said that ,alexander inherited his good looks and his character from his mother1 it is equally true that this was not the case with ,constantine1 who strongly resembled his father1 without1 however1 being quite as ugly1 but like him endowed with a marvellously quick temper4 ,in that era the ,russian court usually included such a large number of beautiful women that a ball at the ,empress afforded an exquisite sight4 ,i was present at the most magnificent ball she ever gave4 ,the ,empress1 grandly arrayed1 sat at the end of the room1 attended by the first personages of the court4 ,close to her stood the ,grand ,duchess ,marie1 and ,paul1 ,alexander and ,constantine4 ,an open balustrade separated them from the space where the dancing was going forward4 ,the ball consisted of nothing but repetitions of the dance called polonaise1 in which ,i had for my first partner young ,prince ,bariatinski1 with whom ,i went the round of the room and afterward took a seat on the bench to watch all the dancers4 ,i could not tell how many pretty women ,i saw pass before me1 but ,i cannot help saying that1 amidst all these beauties1 the ,princesses of the imperial family carried off the palm4 ,they were all habited in ,greek costumes1 with tunics attached at the shoulder with large diamond buckles4 ,i had taken a hand in the ,grand ,duchess ,elisabeth's dress1 so that her costume was the most correct4 ,paul's daughters1 however1 ,helen and ,alexandrina1 wore on their heads veils of light-blue gauze1 strewn with silver1 which lent their faces an almost divine appearance4 ,the splendour of all that surrounded the ,empress1 the gorgeousness of the room1 the handsome people1 the profusion of diamonds1 and the sparkling of the thousand lights made a veritable enchantment of this ball4 ,a few days later ,i went to a gala dinner at court4 ,when ,i entered the room the invited ladies were all there1 standing by the table1 on which the first dish was already served4 ,a moment after1 a large door with two valves was thrown open1 and the ,empress appeared4 ,i have said that she was short1 but nevertheless on state occasions1 her erect head1 her eagle eye1 her countenance so used to command--all was so symbolic of majesty that she seemed to be the queen of the world4 ,she wore the ribbons of three orders4 ,her garb was plain and dignified1 consisting of a muslin tunic embroidered with gold and enclasped by a diamond belt1 a pair of wide sleeves being turned back in oriental fashion4 ,over this tunic was a red velvet dolman with very short sleeves4 ,the cap set on her white hair was not adorned with bows1 but with diamonds of the greatest beauty4 ,when ,her ,majesty had taken her place all the ladies sat down to the table1 and1 according to universal custom1 laid their napkins on their knees1 while the ,empress fastened hers with two pins1 just as napkins are fastened on children4 ,she soon noticed that the ladies did not eat1 and suddenly burst out3 ,ladies1 you do not want to follow my example1 and you are only pretending to eat6 ,i have adopted the habit of pinning my napkin1 as otherwise ,i could not even eat an egg without spilling some of it on my collar4 ,i1 in fact1 observed her to dine with a very hearty appetite4 ,a good orchestra played during the whole meal1 the musicians being in a large gallery at the end of the room4 ,relating to dinners1 ,i may say here that certainly the saddest ,i ever went to at ,st4 ,petersburg was at a sister's of ,zuboff1 where ,i had neglected to present a letter of introduction4 ,six months of my sojourn in ,russia had gone by1 when ,i met her one evening coming out of the theatre4 ,she stepped over to me and said most politely that she was still waiting for a letter which had been given to me for her4 ,scarcely knowing what excuse to make1 ,i replied that ,i had mislaid the letter1 but that ,i would look for it again and hasten to bring it to her4 ,i accordingly went one morning to visit the ,countess ,d----1 and she invited me to dine with her the day after the next4 ,it was then the custom all over ,st4 ,petersburg to dine at half-past two1 and ,i therefore went to the ,countess's at that hour with my daughter1 who was also invited4 ,we were conducted to a very melancholy drawing-room1 on the way to which ,i observed no preparations whatever for dinner4 ,one hour1 two hours went by1 but there was no more question of sitting down to table than if we had just taken our morning coffee4 ,at last two servants came in and opened several card-tables1 and although it seemed rather strange to me that any one should eat in a drawing-room1 ,i flattered myself that dinner was now to be served4 ,but ,i was wrong4 ,the servants went out1 and in a few minutes a number of the guests had settled down to play cards4 ,about six o'clock my poor daughter and ,i were so starved that1 when we looked into a mirror1 we were frightened and sorry for ourselves4 ,i felt as if ,i should die4 ,not until half-past seven were we informed that the meal was ready2 but our poor stomachs had gone through too much agony2 we were unable to eat anything at all4 ,i then found out that the ,countess ,d---- dined at the hour usual in ,london4 ,the ,countess ought to have notified me1 but perhaps she imagined that the whole universe was aware of her dinner hour4 ,as a rule1 nothing was more distasteful to me than to dine in town1 but ,i was sometimes obliged to do it1 especially in ,russia1 where one runs a risk of mortally offending people if one declines their invitations too often4 ,i disliked the dinners the more as there were such a number of them4 ,they were highly luxurious2 most of the nobility had very good ,french cooks1 and the fare was incomparable4 ,a quarter of an hour before the guests sat down at table a servant would pass round a tray with all sorts of cordials and small slices of buttered bread4 ,no cordials were taken after dinner1 but always superior ,malaga wine4 ,it is the custom in ,russia for the great ladies1 even at their own houses1 to go into table before the guests1 so that the ,princess ,dolgoruki and others would take me by the arm1 in order that ,i might go in at the same time as they1 for it would be impossible to exceed the ,russian ladies in the urbanities of good society4 ,i will even go so far as to say that they are without the haughtiness chargeable to some of our ,french ladies4 ,at ,st4 ,petersburg the rigour of the climate would be unnoticed by any one who remains indoors1 to such a degree have the ,russians perfected the means of keeping their houses warm4 ,from the very porter's door all is heated by such excellent stoves that the fires maintained in the chimney places are purely ornamental4 ,the stairways and corridors are of the same temperature as the rooms1 whose communicating doors are left open without any inconvenience resulting4 ,when the ,emperor ,paul1 then ,grand ,duke only1 came to ,france for the first time1 he said to the ,parisians3 ,in ,st4 ,petersburg you see the cold1 but here you feel it4 ,and when1 after spending seven and a half years in ,russia1 ,i went back to ,paris1 where the ,princess ,dolgoruki was also staying1 ,i remember that on a certain day1 on which ,i had gone to see her1 we were both so cold in front of her fireplace that we said1 ,we must go to spend the winter in ,russia to get warm4 ,illustration3 ,,isabel ,,czartoryska ,a ,polish ,noblewoman4 ,for going out1 such precautions are taken that even foreigners are hardly affected by the severity of the weather4 ,every one wears velvet1 fur-lined boots in his carriage1 and cloaks likewise heavily lined with fur4 ,at seventeen degrees below zero the theatres are closed1 and every one remains at home4 ,i am perhaps the only person who1 not suspecting how cold it was1 ever took it into my head to pay a visit when the thermometer was at eighteen4 ,the ,countess ,golovin lived rather far away1 in the broad street called the ,prospekt1 and from my house to hers ,i met not a single carriage1 which surprised me considerably4 ,i nevertheless went on4 ,the cold was such that at first ,i thought my carriage windows must be open4 ,upon seeing me enter her drawing-room1 the ,countess exclaimed3 ,heavens6 ,how could you go out this evening8 ,do you not know that it is nearly twenty degrees8 ,this made me think of my poor coachman1 and without taking off my pelisse ,i at once returned to my carriage1 and was driven home as quickly as possible4 ,but the cold had so attacked my head that ,i was benumbed4 ,my head was treated with ,cologne water to restore the circulation2 otherwise ,i should have gone mad4 ,one very astonishing thing is the small effect which this severe temperature has on the common people4 ,far from their health suffering in consequence1 it has been observed that there are more centenarians in ,russia than anywhere else4 ,in ,st4 ,petersburg1 as in ,moscow1 the great lords and all the notables of the empire drive six-or eight-in-hand2 their postilions are little boys of eight or ten1 who ride with amazing dexterity4 ,there are from two to eight horses1 and it is curious how these little fellows1 so lightly clad1 with their shirts sometimes open on their chests1 cheerfully expose themselves to cold which certainly would kill a ,french or ,prussian grenadier in a few hours4 ,as for me1 who was content with two horses for my carriage1 ,i was surprised at the submissiveness and resignation of the coachmen4 ,they never complained4 ,in the most rigorous weather1 when waiting for their masters either at the theatre or a ball1 they sit still without budging1 and only knock their feet against the box to get a little warmth1 while the little postilions lie down at the bottom of the staircases4 ,i must acknowledge1 however1 that the coachmen are provided by their masters with furred coats and gloves1 and that1 in the event of the cold being unusual1 if any noblemen gives a party or a ball he has strong liquor distributed among them1 and wood to build campfires in the courtyard and the street4 ,the common people of ,russia are in general ugly1 but their behaviour is at once simple and dignified1 and they are the best creatures in the world4 ,one never sees a drunken man1 although the popular beverage is corn brandy4 ,most of the ,russians of this class live on potatoes and garlic1 with oil1 which they eat with their bread1 so that they always stink1 although it is their habit to take a bath every ,saturday4 ,but their food does not prevent them from singing loudly when at work or rowing their boats1 and they often reminded me of something the ,marquis de ,chastellux said one evening at my house about the beginning of the ,revolution3 ,if their bonds are taken off they will be much more unhappy6 ,the ,russians are clever and capable1 since they learn all trades with great ease1 some of them even gaining success in the arts4 ,one day1 at ,count ,strogonoff's1 ,i saw an architect who had once been his serf4 ,this young man exhibited so much talent that the ,count made a present of him to the ,emperor ,paul1 who made him one of his architects and ordered him to build a theatre-hall after the plans designed and submitted by him4 ,i never saw the hall1 but was told that it was very handsome4 ,in the matter of artistic serfs ,i was less fortunate than the ,count4 ,as ,i found myself without a man-servant1 after being robbed by one ,i had brought from ,vienna1 ,count ,strogonoff gave me one of his serfs1 who was supposed to prepare his daughter-in-law's palette and clean her brushes when she amused herself with painting4 ,this youth1 whom ,i therefore engaged for the same purpose1 became persuaded1 after serving me for a fortnight1 that he was a painter1 too1 and gave me no rest until ,i had obtained his freedom from the ,count to enable him to work with the ,academy students4 ,he wrote me some letters on this subject that were really curiosities of style and ideas4 ,the ,count1 in yielding to my request1 had said1 ,you may be sure that before long he will want to come back4 ,i gave the young man twenty rubles and the ,count gave him at least as much4 ,accordingly1 he at once hastened to purchase the uniform of the students in painting1 and thus attired came to thank me with a triumphant air4 ,about two months later he brought me a large family picture1 which was so bad that ,i could not look at it1 and for which the poor young man had been paid so little that1 after liquidating all his expenses1 he had lost eight rubles of his money4 ,as the ,count had foreseen1 his disappointment made him surrender his wretched liberty and go back to his master4 ,the servants are remarkable for their intelligence4 ,i had one who knew not a word of ,french1 and although ,i was equally ignorant of ,russian we understood each other perfectly without the agency of speech4 ,by raising my arm ,i asked him for my easel1 or my paint box1 or otherwise conveyed to him by gesture what articles ,i wanted4 ,he invariably seized my meaning1 and was of the greatest value to me4 ,another very precious quality ,i discovered in him was his honesty1 which was proof against all temptations4 ,frequently bank-notes were remitted to me in payment of my pictures1 and when ,i was busy painting ,i laid them near me on a table4 ,on quitting work ,i constantly forgot to take away the notes1 which sometimes lay there three or four days without his ever abstracting one4 ,moreover1 he was a man of exceptional sobriety2 ,i never once saw him drunk4 ,this good servant was called ,peter2 he wept when ,i left ,st4 ,petersburg1 and ,i have always sincerely regretted losing him4 ,the ,russian people in general are honest and gentle by nature4 ,at ,st4 ,petersburg or ,moscow not only are great crimes never heard of1 but one never hears of thefts4 ,this good and quiet behaviour1 surprising in men little beyond barbarism1 is attributed by many to the system of servitude they are under4 ,as for me1 ,i believe the reason to be that the ,russians are extremely religious4 ,not long after my arrival at ,st4 ,petersburg ,i went into the country to see the daughter-in-law of my old friend1 ,count ,strogonoff4 ,his house at ,kaminostroff was situated at the right of the great highway skirting the ,neva4 ,i alighted from my carriage1 opened a little wicket giving admission to the garden1 and reached a room on the ground floor whose door was wide open4 ,so it was very easy to enter ,countess ,strogonoff's house4 ,consequently1 when ,i found her in a little sitting-room1 and she showed me her apartments1 ,i was greatly astonished to see all her jewels near a window looking out on the garden and therefore within close reach of the high road4 ,this seemed to me the more imprudent as ,russian ladies are in the habit of exhibiting their diamonds and other ornaments under large cases1 such as are to be seen in jewellers' shops4 ,countess1 ,i asked her1 are you not afraid of being robbed8 ,no1 was her answer2 there are the best police4 ,and she pointed out1 above the jewel-box1 various images of the ,virgin1 and ,st4 ,nicholas1 the patron saint of the country1 with a lamp burning in front of them4 ,it is a fact that1 during the seven years and more which ,i spent in ,russia1 ,i on all occasions observed the image of the ,virgin1 or of a saint1 and the presence of a child1 to have something sacred for a ,russian4 ,the common people1 in speaking to you1 never address you otherwise1 according to your age1 than as mother1 father1 brother or sister1 and in this usage every one is included1 even the ,emperor and the ,empress and the whole imperial family4 ,in the class above the populace there are a number of people in comfortable circumstances and others very well-to-do4 ,the tradesmen's wives1 for instance1 spend a great deal on dress1 without this appearing to impose any restriction on household expenses4 ,their head-dress especially is always fine and fashionable4 ,on their caps1 whose flaps are usually embroidered with small pearls1 they wear a broad piece of stuff which falls from the head to the shoulders and down the whole back4 ,this sort of veil throws a shadow on the face1 which they assuredly need1 seeing that all of them1 ,i know not why1 whiten and rouge their faces and pencil their eyebrows in the most absurd manner4 ,when the month of ,may comes to ,st4 ,petersburg there is no evidence of spring flowers embalming the air1 nor of the nightingale's song1 celebrated so much by the poets4 ,the ground is covered with half-melted snow4 ,the ,doga brings into the ,neva ice blocks as large as enormous rocks1 heaped on top of each other1 and these ice blocks renew the cold which has diminished with the breaking of the ,neva4 ,this dissolution might be called a splendid horror2 the noise of it is fearful4 ,close to the exchange the ,neva is three times as wide as the ,seine at the ,pont ,royal1 and one may imagine the effect of this sea of ice cracking in all its parts4 ,in spite of the officials posted all along the quays to prohibit the people from jumping from floe to floe1 the boldest venture upon the moving ice for the purpose of crossing the river4 ,before undertaking their dangerous expedition they make the sign of the cross1 and then rush on1 fully persuaded that if they perish it must be because they were predestined to it4 ,the first who crosses the ,neva in a boat at the hour of the breaking up presents a silver cup1 full of river water1 to the ,emperor1 who in turn fills it with gold4 ,the windows are still left stuffed up at this season4 ,russia has no spring1 but the vegetation hastens to make up for lost time4 ,one may say with literal truth that the leaves sprout while you watch them4 ,one day at the end of ,may ,i went with my daughter for a walk in the ,summer ,garden1 and1 wishing to assure ourselves as to the truth of all we had heard concerning the rapidity of vegetable growth1 we took note of some shrub-leaves that were only in bud4 ,we took a long turn in the avenue1 then coming back to the spot we had started from1 we found the buds open and the leaves completely unrolled4 ,the ,russians take advantage of all phases of their climate to enjoy themselves4 ,in the severest cold they indulge in sledging parties1 either by day or with torches at night4 ,in some places they throw up mountains of snow1 down which they slide at a stupendous rate of speed without any danger4 ,men versed in their business push you off from the top of the mountain1 and others catch you at the bottom4 ,one of the most interesting ceremonies to be seen is the blessing of the ,neva4 ,it occurs once a year1 and it is the ,archimandrite who bestows the benediction in presence of the ,emperor1 the imperial family1 and all the dignitaries4 ,as at this season the ice of the ,neva is at least three feet thick1 a hole is made through which1 after the ceremony1 everybody draws up some of the holy water4 ,frequently women are seen to dip their little children in1 and sometimes the unfortunate mothers let loose their hold of the poor victims of superstition4 ,but instead of mourning the loss of her child1 the mother then gives thanks for the happiness of the angel who has gone to pray for her4 ,the ,emperor is obliged to drink the first glass of water1 it being tendered him by the ,archimandrite4 ,i have already said that in ,st4 ,petersburg you must go out into the street to find out how cold it is4 ,and it is likewise true that the ,russians are not content with giving their houses a springlike temperature2 some of their rooms are lined with windowed screens1 behind which are arranged boxes and pots containing the lovely flowers that the month of ,may gives to ,france4 ,in winter the rooms are lighted most elaborately4 ,they are also scented with hot vinegar into which bits of mint have been thrown and which yields a very agreeable and healthy smell4 ,all apartments are furnished with long1 broad divans for men and women to sit on4 ,i became so used to them that after a time ,i could not sit on a chair4 ,the ,russian lady's salute is a bow1 seeming to me more dignified and graceful than our courtesy4 ,they do not ring for their servants1 but signal to them by clapping their hands together1 as sultanas are said to do in the harems4 ,every ,russian lady has a man in full livery at the door of her drawing-room2 he is always there to open the door for visitors1 whom it was at that time the custom not to announce by name4 ,but what seemed stranger still to me was that some of these ladies made a female serf sleep under their bed4 ,of an evening ,i went out into society4 ,there were innumerable balls1 concerts and theatrical performances1 and ,i thoroughly enjoyed these gatherings1 where ,i found all the urbanity1 all the grace of ,french company4 ,it seemed as though good taste had made a jump with both feet from ,paris to ,st4 ,petersburg4 ,nor was there a lack of open houses1 and in all of them one was welcomed with the greatest hospitality4 ,one met at about eight and supped at ten4 ,in the meantime tea was drunk1 like everywhere else4 ,but the ,russian tea is so excellent that ,i--with whom it does not agree1 and who must abstain from it--was glad to inhale its aroma4 ,instead of tea ,i drank hydromel4 ,this tasty beverage is made with good honey and a small fruit picked in the ,russian woods2 it is left in the cellar for a certain length of time before bottling4 ,i found it far preferable to cider1 beer1 or even lemonade4 ,,chapter ,,ix ,,catherine ,,ii4 ,,surroundings ,,of ,,st4 ,,petersburg -- ,,patriarchal ,,unconventionalities -- ,,an ,,artillery ,,repast -- ,,the ,,greatness ,,of ,,the ,,second ,,catherine -- ,,who ,,lit ,,her ,,own ,,fire ,,and ,,made ,,her ,,own ,,coffee -- ,,and ,,was ,,sworn ,,at ,,by ,a ,,chimney ,,sweeper -- ,,other ,,domestic ,,amenities ,,in ,,the ,,career ,,of ,,an ,,empress -- ,,the ,,suit ,,of ,,gustavus ,,iv4 -- ,,catherine',s ,,death -- ,,humiliating ,,funeral ,,incidents4 ,i experienced a great joy when1 after breathing frosty air outdoors and air heated by stoves indoors for several months1 ,i witnessed the arrival of summer4 ,i took a great delight in the walks1 and hastened to enjoy the beautiful surroundings of ,st4 ,petersburg4 ,i very often went to the ,lake of ,pergola alone with my ,russian man-servant to take what ,i called an air-bath4 ,i enjoyed the contemplation of its limpid water1 which vividly reflected the trees on its banks4 ,and then ,i would mount to the heights adjacent4 ,on one side the horizon was bounded by the sea and ,i could distinguish the sails lit up by the sun4 ,here a silence reigned that was disturbed only by the song of a thousand birds1 or sometimes by the sound of a distant bell4 ,the pure air and the wild1 picturesque place enchanted me4 ,my faithful ,peter1 who warmed up my little dinner or picked flowers of the field for me1 made me think of ,robinson on his island with ,friday4 ,the heat being considerable1 ,i often went with my daughter for early walks on the island of ,krestovski4 ,the extreme point of this island seemed to merge into the sea1 on which large vessels were navigating4 ,sometimes we went there in the evening to see the ,russian peasants dance1 their national dress being very picturesque4 ,i remember1 on the subject of the excessive heat often prevailing at ,st4 ,petersburg1 a certain day in the month of ,july of some year in which that month was hotter than in ,italy4 ,on this day ,i saw ,princess ,dolgoruki's mother1 ,princess ,bariatinski1 who was once as lovely as an angel1 and whose clever and spontaneous wit rendered her one of the most fascinating women of ,st4 ,petersburg1 established in her cellar1 with her lady's companion seated on the bottom step1 very quietly reading to her from a book4 ,but to return to the island of ,krestovski4 ,taking a row in a boat one day1 we came upon a crowd of men and women all bathing together4 ,we even saw from a distance young men naked on horseback1 who were thus bathing with their horses4 ,in any other country one would have been shocked by this1 but the ,russian people are really primitively ingenuous4 ,in the winter husband1 wife and children sleep together on the stove2 if the stove is not large enough1 they lie on wooden benches lining their hut1 wrapped up simply in their sheepskins4 ,these good people have kept the customs of the ancient patriarchs4 ,a walk which pleased me particularly was one on the island of ,zelaguin1 which1 though it had once been a very handsome garden1 was now deserted4 ,however1 there remained some lovely trees1 charming avenues1 a temple surrounded with magnificent weeping willows1 flowers to please the eye1 little running streams1 and bridges after the ,english fashion4 ,in order to enjoy this walk to the full1 ,i took a little house opposite on the bank of the ,neva4 ,the advantageous situation of my cottage was combined with pleasing diversion1 due to the fact that most of the boats1 of which there was an unceasing procession up and down the river1 gave me a continuous concert of vocal music or wind instruments4 ,the artillery general1 ,melissimo1 lived in a pretty house close to mine1 and ,i enjoyed having him for my neighbour1 since he was the best and most obliging of men4 ,as the ,general had spent much time in ,turkey1 his house was a model of ,oriental comfort and luxury4 ,there was a bathroom lighted from above1 in the middle of which was a basin large enough to hold a dozen people4 ,one went down into the water by steps4 ,linen to be used for drying the body after bathing was hung on a golden balustrade circling the basin1 and consisted of large pieces of ,indian mull worked at the bottom in flowers and gold1 so that the weight of this embroidery caused the mull to adhere to the skin1 which appeared to me an elaborate refinement4 ,round the room ran a broad divan on which one could stretch oneself and rest after taking a bath1 and one of the doors opened from a sweet little sitting-room4 ,this sitting-room1 again1 overlooked an odorous flower-bed1 and some of the stems grew to the height of the window4 ,it was in this room that the ,general gave us a breakfast of fruits1 cream cheese and excellent ,mocha coffee1 on all of which my daughter regaled herself royally4 ,another time he asked us to a very good dinner1 and had it served under a ,turkish tent brought back from one of his journeys4 ,the tent was put up on the lawn facing the house4 ,there were twelve of us1 all seated by the table on splendid divans4 ,we were served with delicious fruits at dessert4 ,the whole dinner was quite ,asiatic1 and the ,general's courtesy added to the savour of all the good things4 ,i wish1 however1 that he had omitted firing off cannon shots in our immediate proximity just as we were sitting down at table1 but ,i was informed that such was the custom with all generals4 ,i took my little house on the ,neva for one summer only4 ,the next1 young ,count ,strogonoff lent me one at ,kaminstroff1 where ,i was very well suited4 ,every morning ,i walked alone in a neighbouring wood and passed my evenings with ,countess ,golovin1 my neighbour4 ,there ,i met young ,prince ,bariatinski1 ,princess ,tarent1 and various other congenial people4 ,we would chat or have readings until supper time4 ,in fact time was speeding by for me in the most agreeable manner4 ,the ,russian people lived very happily under the rule of ,catherine2 by great and lowly have ,i heard the name of her blessed to whom the nation owed so much glory and so much well-being4 ,i do not speak of the conquests by which the national vanity was so prodigiously flattered1 but of the real1 lasting good that this ,empress did her people4 ,during the space of the thirty-four years she reigned1 her beneficent genius fathered or furthered all that was useful1 all that was grand4 ,she erected an immortal monument to ,peter ,i42 she built two hundred and thirty-seven towns in stone1 saying that wooden villages cost much more because they burned down so often2 she covered the sea with her fleets2 she established everywhere manufactories and banks1 highly propitious to the commerce of ,st4 ,petersburg1 ,moscow and ,tobolsk2 she granted new privileges to the ,academy2 she founded schools in all the towns and the country districts2 she dug canals1 built granite quays1 gave a legal code1 instituted an asylum for foundlings1 and1 finally1 introduced into her empire the boon of vaccination1 adopted by the ,russians solely through her mighty will1 and1 for the public encouragement1 was the first to be inoculated4 ,catherine herself was the source of all these blessings1 for she never allowed any one else real authority4 ,she dictated her own despatches to her ministers1 who1 in effect1 were but her secretaries4 ,i am much annoyed that the ,duchess d',abrants1 who has recently published a work on ,catherine ,,ii41 has either not read what the ,prince de ,ligne and the ,count de ,sgur have written1 or has not given credence to those irrefutable witnesses4 ,if she had1 she would have more justly appreciated and admired the qualities distinguishing that great ,empress1 considering her as a ruler1 and she would have paid more respect to the memory of a woman in whom our sex ought to take pride for so many reasons4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,duchess ,,de ,,polignac4 ,catherine ,,ii4 loved everything that was magnificent in the arts4 ,at the ,hermitage she built a set of rooms corresponding to certain rooms in the ,vatican1 and had copies made of the fifty pictures by ,raphael adorning those rooms4 ,she enriched the ,academy of ,fine ,arts with plaster casts of the finest ancient statues and with a large number of paintings by various masters4 ,the ,hermitage1 which she had founded and erected quite near her palace1 was a model of good taste in every respect1 and made the clumsy architecture of the imperial palace at ,st4 ,petersburg appear to worse advantage than ever by the contrast4 ,it is well known that she wrote ,french with great facility4 ,in the library at ,st4 ,petersburg ,i saw the original manuscript of the legal code she gave the ,russians written entirely in her own hand and in the ,french language4 ,her style1 ,i was told1 was elegant and very concise1 and this reminds me of an instance of her laconic manner of expression which seems to me quite delightful4 ,when ,general ,suvaroff had won the battle of ,warsaw1 ,catherine at once sent him a messenger1 and this messenger brought the fortunate victor nothing but an envelope on which she had written with her own hand1 ,to ,marshal ,suvaroff4 ,this woman1 whose power was so great1 was at home the simplest and least exacting of women4 ,she rose at five in the morning1 lit her fire1 and then made her coffee herself4 ,it was even said that one day1 having lit the fire without being aware that the sweeper had climbed up the chimney1 the sweeper began to swear at her1 and to shower the coarsest revilements upon her1 believing he was speaking to a stove-lighter4 ,the ,empress hastened to extinguish the fire1 though not without laughing heartily at having been thus treated4 ,after breakfast the ,empress wrote her letters and prepared her despatches1 remaining in seclusion until nine o'clock4 ,she then rang for her men servants1 who sometimes did not answer her bell4 ,one day1 for instance1 impatient at waiting1 she opened the door of the room they were in1 and1 finding them settled down at a game of cards1 she asked them why they did not come when she rang4 ,thereupon one of them calmly replied that they wanted to finish their game--and so they did4 ,on another occasion the ,countess ,bruce1 who was allowed in the ,empress's apartments at all hours1 came in one morning to find her alone at her toilet4 ,your ,majesty seems to be without assistance1 said the ,countess4 ,how can ,i help it8 answered the ,empress4 ,my maids all went off4 ,i was trying on a dress which fitted so badly that ,i lost my temper over it1 and so they left me to myself4 ,not one of them stayed1 not even ,reinette1 my head maid1 and ,i am waiting for them to cool off4 ,in the evening ,catherine would gather about her some of the people of her court she liked best4 ,she sent for her grandchildren1 and blind man's buff1 hunt the slipper and other games were played until ten o'clock1 when ,her ,majesty went to bed4 ,princess ,dolgoruki1 who was among the favoured1 often told me with what good spirits and jollity the ,empress enlivened these gatherings4 ,count ,stachelberg and the ,count de ,sgur were invited to ,catherine's small parties4 ,when she broke with ,france and dismissed the ,count de ,sgur1 the ,french ,ambassador1 she expressed deep regret at losing him4 ,but1 she added1 ,i am an autocrat4 ,every one to his trade4 ,many persons have attributed ,catherine's death to the keen sorrow brought her by the failure of the marriage arranged between her granddaughter1 the ,duchess ,alexandrina1 and the ,king of ,sweden4 ,that ,prince arrived at ,st4 ,petersburg1 with his uncle1 the ,duke of ,sudermania1 in ,august1 #agif4 ,he was only seventeen years old1 but his tall figure and his proud and noble bearing made him respected in spite of his youth4 ,having been very carefully brought up1 he showed a most unusual politeness4 ,the ,princess whom he had come to marry1 and who was fourteen1 was lovely as an angel1 and he speedily fell deeply in love with her4 ,i remember that when he came to my house to see the portrait ,i had done of his bride elect1 he looked at it with such rapt attention that his hat fell from his hand4 ,the ,empress wished for this marriage more than anything1 but she insisted that her granddaughter should have a chapel and clergy of her own religion in the palace at ,stockholm1 but the young ,king1 all his love for the young ,duchess ,alexandrina notwithstanding1 would not consent to anything that would violate the laws of his country4 ,knowing that ,catherine had sent for the patriarch to pronounce the betrothal after a ball in the evening1 the ,king remained absent from the ball despite ,m4 de ,markoff's repeated calls urging him to come4 ,i was then doing the portrait of ,count ,diedrichstein4 ,we went to my window several times to see if the young ,king would yield and go to the ball1 but he did not4 ,in the end1 according to what ,princess ,dolgoruki told me1 when every one was assembled1 the ,empress half opened the door of her room and said in a very subdued voice1 ,ladies1 there will be no ball to-night4 ,the ,king of ,sweden and the ,duke of ,sudermania left ,st4 ,petersburg the next morning4 ,whether or no it was the grief arising from this occurrence that cut short the days of ,catherine1 ,russia was soon to lose her4 ,the ,sunday preceding her death1 ,i went to ,her ,majesty after church to present her with the portrait that ,i had made of the ,grand ,duchess ,elisabeth4 ,she congratulated me upon my work and then said3 ,they insist that you must take my portrait4 ,i am very old1 but still1 as they all wish it1 ,i will give you the first sitting this day week4 ,the following ,thursday she did not ring at nine o'clock as was her wont4 ,the servants waited until ten o'clock1 and even a little later4 ,at last the head maid went in4 ,not seeing the ,empress in her room1 she went to the clothes-closet1 and no sooner did she open the door than ,catherine's body fell upon the floor4 ,it was impossible to discover at what hour the apoplectic shock had touched her2 however1 her pulse was still beating1 and hope was not entirely given up4 ,never in my days did ,i see such lively alarm spread so generally4 ,for my part ,i was so seized with pain and terror when apprised of the dreadful tidings that my convalescing daughter1 perceiving my state of prostration1 became again ill4 ,after dinner ,i hastened to ,princess ,dolgoruki's1 whither ,count ,cobentzel brought us the news every ten minutes from the palace4 ,our anxiety continued to grow1 and was unbearable for everybody1 since not only did the nation worship ,catherine1 but it had an awful dread of being governed by ,paul4 ,toward evening ,paul arrived from a place near ,st4 ,petersburg1 where he lived most of the time4 ,when he saw his mother lying senseless1 nature for a moment asserted her rights2 he approached the ,empress1 kissed her hand1 and shed some tears4 ,catherine ,,ii4 finally expired at nine o'clock on the evening of ,november #ag1 #agif4 ,count ,cobentzel1 who saw her breathe her last sigh1 at once came to inform us that she had ceased to live4 ,i confess that ,i did not leave ,princess ,dolgoruki's devoid of fear1 in view of the general talk as to a probable revolution against ,paul4 ,the immense mob ,i saw on my way home in the palace square by no means tended to comfort me2 nevertheless1 all those people were so quiet that ,i soon concluded1 and rightly1 we had nothing to fear for the moment4 ,the next morning the populace gathered again at the same place1 giving vent to its grief under ,catherine's windows in heartrending cries4 ,old men and young1 as well as children1 called to their matusha 7little mother71 and between their sobs lamented that they had lost everything4 ,this day was the more depressing as it augured so sadly for the ,prince succeeding to the throne4 ,the ,empress's body was exposed six weeks in a large room at the palace1 lit up day and night and gorgeously decorated4 ,catherine was laid out on a bed of state and surrounded by shields bearing the arms of all the towns in the empire4 ,her face was uncovered1 her beautiful hand resting on the bed4 ,all the ladies--of whom some took turn in watching by the body--bent to kiss that hand1 or pretended to4 ,i1 who had never kissed it in her lifetime1 did not dare to kiss it now1 and even avoided looking at ,catherine's face1 which would have left too bad an impression on my memory4 ,after his mother's death1 ,paul at once had his father ,peter disinterred2 he had been buried for thirty-five years in the convent of ,alexander ,nevski4 ,nothing was found in the coffin but bones and a sleeve of ,peter's uniform4 ,paul desired the same honours rendered to these remains as to ,catherine's4 ,he had them exhibited in the middle of the ,church at ,kazan2 the watch service was performed by old officers1 friends of ,peter ,,iii1 whom his son had pressed to come1 and whom he loaded with honours4 ,the day of the funeral having arrived1 ,peter ,,iii4's coffin1 on which his son had placed a crown1 was put with great ceremony beside ,catherine's1 and both were conveyed to the ,citadel1 ,peter's preceding1 it being ,paul's wish to humble his mother's ashes4 ,i saw the marvellous procession from my window as one sees a play from a box in the theatre4 ,before the ,emperor's coffin rode a horseman of the guard1 clad from top to toe in golden armour2 but the man riding in front of the ,empress's coffin wore only steel armour4 ,the murderers of ,peter ,,iii4 were1 by order of his son1 obliged to act as pall-bearers4 ,the new ,emperor walked in the procession on foot1 bareheaded1 with his wife and the whole court1 which was very numerous1 and attired in deep mourning4 ,the women wore long trains and enormous black veils4 ,they were obliged to walk in the snow1 at a very low temperature1 from the palace to the fortress1 where ,russia's sovereigns were laid to rest1 a long distance on the other side of the ,neva4 ,mourning was ordered for six months4 ,the women's hair was brushed back1 and their headgear came to a point on the forehead1 which did not improve their looks at all4 ,but this slight inconvenience was insignificant compared to the deep anxiety to which the ,empress's death gave rise throughout the whole empire4 ,,chapter ,x ,,the ,,emperor ,,paul ,,accession ,,of ,,the ,,emperor ,,paul -- ,,his ,,arbitrary ,,rule -- ,,his ,,civility ,,to ,,the ,,authoress -- ,a ,,man ,,who ,,did ,,not ,,know ,,the ,,emperor',s ,,address -- ,,paul',s ,,kindness ,,to ,,foreigners -- ,,his ,,fear ,,of ,,assassination -- ,,his ,,personal ,,appearance -- ,,the ,,empress ,,maria -- ,,vagaries ,,of ,a ,,half-,,mad ,,emperor -- ,a ,,noble ,,prelate4 ,the ,emperor ,paul1 born ,october #a1 #aged1 ascended the throne on the #abth of ,december1 #agif4 ,what ,i have related touching ,catherine's funeral is sufficient proof that the new ,emperor did not share the national sorrow2 it is well known1 besides1 that he bestowed the order of ,st4 ,andrew upon ,nicholas ,zuboff1 who brought him the news of his mother's death4 ,paul was clever1 well-informed and energetic1 but his whims bordered on insanity4 ,in this unhappy ,prince generous emotions were often followed by outbreaks of ferocity2 approval or anger1 favour or resentment1 were with him altogether a matter of caprice4 ,one night ,i was at a court ball2 every one except the ,emperor was masked1 both men and women wearing black dominos4 ,one of the doorways between two rooms became crowded1 and a young man in haste to pass elbowed a woman1 who began to scream4 ,paul at once turned to one of his adjutants1 saying1 ,take that gentleman to the fortress1 and come back to tell me that he is safe under lock and key4 ,the adjutant soon came back to tell the ,emperor that he had executed his order2 but1 he went on1 ,your ,majesty must know that the young man is very short-sighted4 ,here is the proof4 ,and he produced the prisoner's eye-glasses1 which he had brought with him4 ,paul1 after trying the eye-glasses1 was convinced1 and said with feeling3 ,go for him quickly and take him to his parents2 ,i shall not go to bed until you have come back with the information that he is at home again4 ,the least infraction of ,paul's commands was punished with exile to ,siberia1 or at least with imprisonment1 so that1 unable to foresee how far lunacy and arbitrariness combined would go1 one lived in a state of perpetual fear4 ,it soon came to one's not daring to invite company to one's house4 ,if one would see a few friends1 one was very careful to close the shutters1 and when a ball was given it was agreed that the carriages should be sent home so as to attract less attention4 ,everybody's words and actions were watched to such an extent that ,i heard it said there was no social circle without a spy4 ,allusion to the ,emperor was usually abstained from altogether4 ,i remember how one day1 joining a very small gathering1 a lady who did not know me and who had just ventured upon this subject1 cut her words short when she saw me coming into the room4 ,countess ,golovin was obliged to tell her that she might continue4 ,you may speak without fear1 she said2 it is ,mme4 ,lebrun4 ,all this seemed extremely burdensome after living under ,catherine1 who allowed every one to enjoy entire liberty without1 however1 using the word4 ,it would take a long time to recount to what futilities ,paul practised his tyranny4 ,he ordered1 for instance1 that every one should make obeisance to his palace1 even when he was absent4 ,he forbade the wearing of round hats1 which he looked upon as a symbol of ,jacobinism4 ,the police knocked off with their sticks all the round hats they saw1 to the great annoyance of people whose ignorance of the regulation exposed them to being thus unhatted4 ,on the other hand1 every one was obliged to wear powder4 ,at the time when this regulation was made ,i was painting young ,prince ,bariatinski's portrait1 and he had acceded to my request that he come without powder4 ,one day he arrived pale as death4 ,what is the matter with you8 ,i asked him4 ,i have just met the ,emperor1 he replied1 all a-tremble1 ,i barely had time to hide in a doorway1 but ,i am terribly afraid that he recognised me4 ,there was nothing surprising in ,prince ,bariatinski's fright4 ,all classes were likewise affected1 for no inhabitant of ,st4 ,petersburg was sure one night that he would sleep in his bed the next4 ,for my part1 ,i avow that in the reign of ,paul ,i experienced the greatest fear of all my life4 ,i had gone to ,pergola to spend the day1 and had with me ,m4 de ,rivire1 my coachman1 and ,peter1 my faithful ,russian servant4 ,while ,m4 de ,rivire was walking about with his gun to shoot birds or rabbits--to which1 by the way1 he never did great harm--,i remained on the shore of the lake4 ,all of a sudden ,i noticed the fire that had been lit to cook our dinner communicate itself to the trees and spread with great rapidity4 ,the trees were close together1 and ,pergola was close to ,st4 ,petersburg6 ,i began to scream dreadfully1 calling upon ,m4 de ,rivire1 and1 aided by fear1 the four of us succeeded in extinguishing the blaze1 though not without severely burning our hands4 ,but we thought of the ,emperor1 of ,siberia1 and it may well be imagined how this filled us with zeal6 ,i can only explain the terror that ,paul inspired me with from the fact that it was universal1 since ,i must admit that toward myself he was never anything but civil and considerate4 ,when ,i saw him for the first time at ,st4 ,petersburg he was amiable enough to remember that ,i had been presented to him in ,paris on the occasion of his visit there4 ,i was very young then1 and so many years had since gone by that ,i had forgotten the incident2 but princes as a rule are gifted with a memory for faces and names4 ,among the various queer ordinances of his reign1 one1 to which obedience was very troublesome1 compelled both men and women to alight from their carriages whenever the ,emperor drove by4 ,now1 ,i must add that ,paul was to be met with very frequently in the streets of ,st4 ,petersburg1 as he travelled them perpetually1 sometimes on horseback with but slim attendance1 and sometimes in a sledge without an escort1 without any sign by which he might have been recognised4 ,you were nevertheless obliged to obey his command1 under pain of incurring his severest displeasure1 and it will be agreed that it was cruel to have to jump out into the snow and stand there1 however extreme the cold4 ,one day when ,i was out driving1 my coachman not having observed his approach1 ,i scarcely had time to exclaim3 ,stop6 it is the ,emperor6 ,but1 as my door was opened and ,i was about to get out1 the ,emperor himself descended from his sledge and hastened to stop me1 saying in the most gracious manner that his order did not concern foreign ladies1 especially ,mme4 ,lebrun4 ,the reason why even ,paul's most favourable whims were not reassuring for the future was that no man was ever more changeable in his tastes and affections4 ,at the beginning of his reign1 for instance1 he loathed ,bonaparte4 ,later on he conceived such a great tenderness for him that a portrait of the ,french hero was kept in his sanctuary and he exhibited it to every one4 ,neither his dislike nor his favour was lasting4 ,count ,strogonoff1 ,i believe1 is the only person he always loved and esteemed4 ,he was not known to have favourites among the gentlemen of the court1 but was very fond of a ,french actor called ,frogres1 who was not without talent and rather clever4 ,frogres went into the ,emperor's study at all hours unannounced2 they were often seen walking together in the gardens arm in arm1 chatting on the subject of ,french literature1 for which ,paul had a strong fancy1 particularly our drama4 ,this actor was often invited to the small court gatherings1 and as he was highly gifted in the art of joking1 he made the greatest lords the object of jokes1 which amused the ,emperor very much1 but which probably were very slightly amusing to those at whose expense they were made4 ,the ,grand ,dukes themselves were not safe from ,frogres's naughty pleasantries2 in fact1 after the death of ,paul1 he did not venture to appear at the palace4 ,the ,emperor ,alexander1 walking alone one day in the streets of ,moscow1 met him and called to him4 ,frogres1 why have you not been to see me8 the ,emperor asked him with affable air4 ,sire1 replied ,frogres1 freed from his fears1 ,i did not know ,your ,majesty's address4 ,the ,emperor laughed a great deal over this piece of nonsense1 and munificently paid the ,french actor some arrears in salary which the poor man had up till then not dared to claim4 ,after dealing for a long time with ,paul1 it was indeed natural that ,frogres should dread the resentment of a sovereign1 for ,paul was so vindictive that the greatest share of his wrongdoings was attributable to his hatred for the ,russian nobility1 against whom he had had a grievance during ,catherine's lifetime4 ,in this hatred he confused the innocent with the guilty1 detesting all the great nobles and taking a delight in humbling any of them he did not exile4 ,to foreigners1 on the other hand1 and especially to the ,french1 he showed remarkable kindness1 and ,i must here affirm that he always received and treated well all travellers and refugees coming from ,france4 ,of these last some were even generously assisted by him4 ,i will mention as an instance the ,count d',autichamp1 who1 finding himself in ,st4 ,petersburg without any resources whatever1 had hit upon the idea of making a very pretty elastic shoe4 ,i bought a pair1 which the same evening ,i showed to several women of the court at ,princess ,dolgoruki's4 ,they were pronounced charming1 and this1 together with the sympathy inspired by the refugee1 resulted in immediate orders for a large number of pairs4 ,the little shoe eventually came under the notice of the ,emperor1 who1 as soon as he learned the name of the workman1 sent for him and gave him a fine position4 ,unfortunately1 it was a confidential post1 and the ,russians were so offended that ,paul could not leave the ,count d',autichamp in it for long4 ,but he made amends in such a way as to secure him against poverty4 ,several facts of this kind1 ,i confess1 made me more indulgent toward the ,emperor than the ,russians were1 whose peace was incessantly disturbed through the extravagant caprices of an omnipotent madman4 ,it would be difficult to convey an idea of the fears1 the discontent and the secret murmurings of his court1 that ,i had formerly seen so placid and happy4 ,it may be said with truth that as long as ,paul's reign lasted terror was the order of the day4 ,as one cannot torment one's fellowmen without being tormented oneself1 ,paul was far from leading an enviable life4 ,he had a fixed idea that he would die by steel or by poison1 and this conviction explains much of his queer conduct4 ,while going about the streets of ,st4 ,petersburg alone at all hours of the day and night1 he took the precaution to have his broth made in his room1 and the rest of his cooking was likewise done in the secrecy of his apartment4 ,the whole was superintended by his faithful ,kutaisoff1 a confidential valet who had been to ,paris with him and was in constant attendance upon him4 ,this ,kutaisoff had entertained an unlimited devotion for the ,emperor1 and nothing could ever change it4 ,paul was exceedingly ugly4 ,a flat nose1 and a very large mouth furnished with very long teeth1 made him look like a death's head4 ,his eyes were more than vivacious1 though they often had a soft expression4 ,he was neither stout nor lean1 neither tall nor short1 and although his whole person was not wanting in a sort of elegance1 it must be admitted that his face suggested opportunity for caricature4 ,indeed1 a number were made1 in spite of the danger that such an amusement threatened4 ,one of them represented him holding a paper in each hand4 ,on one was written order1 on the other counter-order1 and on his forehead disorder4 ,at the mere mention of this caricature ,i still feel a little shiver2 for it must be understood that there were lives in jeopardy1 in which the artists' and the purchasers' were included4 ,but all ,i have said did not hinder ,st4 ,petersburg from being a pleasant as well as profitable place of sojourn for a painter4 ,the ,emperor ,paul loved and patronised the arts4 ,a great admirer of ,french literature1 he munificently subsidised the actors to whom he owed the pleasure of seeing our dramatic masterpieces performed4 ,doyen1 my father's friend and the historical painter ,i have already mentioned1 was distinguished by ,paul as he had been by ,catherine ,,ii4 ,though very old at the time1 ,doyen1 who had imposed a simple and frugal manner of living upon himself1 had accepted but a portion of the ,empress's generous offers4 ,the ,emperor continued in the path of ,catherine1 and ordered a ceiling for the new palace of ,st4 ,michael1 as yet unfurnished4 ,the room where ,doyen was working was close to the ,hermitage4 ,paul and all the court passed through it on their way to mass1 and the ,emperor rarely returned without stopping to chat for more or less time with the painter in quite amiable fashion4 ,i am hereby reminded how1 one day1 one of the ,emperor's gentlemen-in-waiting stepped up to ,doyen and said3 ,permit me1 sir1 to make a slight observation4 ,you are painting the hours dancing round the chariot of the sun4 ,i see one there1 in the distance1 smaller than the rest2 the hours1 however1 are all exactly alike4 ,sir1 replied ,doyen with cool self-possession1 you are perfectly right1 but what you point out is only a half-hour4 ,the first speaker nodded in assent1 and went off greatly pleased with himself4 ,i must not forget to record that the ,emperor1 wishing to pay the price of painting the ceiling before it was finished1 sent to ,doyen a bank-note for a large sum--how much ,i do not now remember4 ,but the bank-note was enclosed in a wrapper1 upon which ,paul had written with his own hand1 ,here is something to buy colours with2 as for oil1 there is a lot left in the lamp4 ,if my father's old friend was pleased with his life at ,st4 ,petersburg1 ,i was none the less pleased with mine4 ,i worked without relaxing from morning till evening4 ,only on ,sundays ,i lost two hours1 which ,i was obliged to grant people wishing to see my studio1 and among these there were frequently grand dukes and grand duchesses4 ,besides the pictures ,i have already spoken of1 and an endless succession of portraits1 ,i had sent to ,paris for my large portrait of ,queen ,marie ,antoinette1 one in which ,i had painted her in a blue velvet dress1 and the general interest it provoked yielded me the sweetest delight4 ,the ,prince de ,cond1 then at ,st4 ,petersburg1 on coming to see it1 uttered not a word1 but burst into tears4 ,in respect of social amenity ,st4 ,petersburg left nothing to be desired4 ,one might have believed oneself at ,paris1 so many ,french were there at the fashionable gatherings4 ,it was thus that ,i saw the ,duke ,richelieu and the ,count de ,langeron again4 ,they were really not residents1 the first being ,governor of ,odessa and the other always travelling on military inspections1 but it was different with a host of other countrymen of mine4 ,for instance1 ,i made acquaintance with the amiable and dear good ,countess ,ducrest de ,villeneuve4 ,not only was this young woman very pretty and very well built1 but she had a special charm coming from her great goodness of heart4 ,i often saw her at ,st4 ,petersburg1 as well as at ,moscow1 by which ,i am reminded that one day1 when ,i went to dine with her1 an instance occurred of a kind not rare in ,russia1 but which frightened me excessively4 ,m4 ,ducrest de ,villeneuve came for me in a sledge1 and it was so cold that my forehead was quite frozen4 ,i exclaimed in terror1 ,i shall be able to think no more6 ,m4 de ,villeneuve hurried me into a shop1 where my forehead was rubbed with snow1 and this remedy1 employed by the ,russians in all similar cases1 soon banished the cause of my despair4 ,illustration3 ,,marie ,,antoinette4 ,i did not neglect the natives who treated me so well1 for my ,french friends and my relations with ,russian families were constantly increasing4 ,besides the numerous persons ,i have already mentioned1 ,i often saw ,m4 ,dimidoff1 the richest private gentleman in ,russia4 ,his father had left him a heritage of richly productive iron and quicksilver mines1 and the enormous sales he made to the government kept on enlarging his fortune4 ,his immense wealth was the cause of his obtaining in marriage ,mlle4 ,strogonoff1 a member of one of the most aristocratic and oldest families of ,russia4 ,their union was very happy4 ,they left only two sons1 one of whom lives in ,paris most of the time1 and who1 like his father1 has a great love for pictures4 ,the ,emperor ordered me to make a portrait of his wife4 ,i represented her standing1 wearing a court dress1 and a diamond crown on her head4 ,i do not like painting diamonds2 the brush cannot render their brilliancy4 ,nevertheless1 in taking for a background a large crimson velvet curtain1 ,i succeeded in making the crown shine as much as possible4 ,when ,i sent for the picture to finish the details at home1 the ,empress wanted to lend me the court dress and all the jewels belonging to it1 but they were so valuable that ,i declined to accept the trust1 which would have given me too much anxiety4 ,i preferred to finish my painting at the palace1 whither ,i had the picture taken back4 ,the ,empress ,maria was a very handsome woman2 her plumpness kept her fresh4 ,she had a tall figure1 full of dignity1 and magnificent fair hair4 ,i recollect having seen her at a great ball with her beautiful locks falling at each side of her shoulders and a diamond tiara on the top of her head4 ,this tall and handsome woman walked majestically next to ,paul1 on his arm1 and a striking contrast was thus presented4 ,to all her loveliness was added a sweet character4 ,the ,empress ,maria was truly the woman of the ,gospel2 her virtues were so universally known that she perhaps affords the only example of a woman never attacked by slander4 ,i confess ,i was proud to find myself honoured with her favour1 and that ,i set great store by the good-will she showed me on all occasions4 ,our sittings took place immediately after the court dinner1 so that the ,emperor and his two sons1 ,alexander and ,constantine1 were habitually present4 ,these august spectators did not annoy me in the least1 especially as the ,emperor1 who alone could have made me feel any diffidence1 was exceedingly polite to me4 ,one day1 when coffee was being served1 as ,i was already at my easel1 he brought me a cup himself1 and then waited until ,i had drunk the coffee to take back the cup and put it away4 ,another time1 it is true1 he made me witness a rather comical scene4 ,i was having a screen put behind the ,empress in order to obtain a quiet background4 ,in this moment of intermission ,paul began cutting up a thousand antics1 exactly like a monkey1 scratching the screen and pretending to climb up it4 ,alexander and ,constantine seemed pained at their father's grotesque behaviour before a stranger1 and ,i myself felt sorry on their account4 ,during one of the sittings the ,empress sent for her two youngest sons1 the ,grand ,duke ,nicholas and the ,grand ,duke ,michael4 ,never have ,i seen a finer child than the ,grand ,duke ,nicholas1 the present ,emperor4 ,i could1 ,i believe1 paint him from memory to-day1 so much did ,i admire his enchanting face1 which bore all the characteristics of ,greek beauty4 ,i remember1 too1 a type of beauty of an altogether different kind--an old man4 ,although in ,russia the ,emperor is the supreme head of the church1 as well as of the government and the army1 the religious power is held1 under him1 by the first pope1 called the great archimandrite1 who is about the same to the ,russians that the ,holy ,father is to us4 ,while living in ,st4 ,petersburg ,i had often heard of the merit and virtues of the divine occupying this post1 and one day some of my acquaintances who were going to visit him1 proposing to take me with them1 ,i eagerly accepted their invitation4 ,never in my life had ,i been in the presence of such an imposing man4 ,his figure was tall and majestic2 his handsome face1 whose every feature was endowed with perfect regularity1 expressed at once a gentleness and a nobility difficult to describe2 a long white beard1 falling below the chest1 added to the venerable appearance of his magnificent head4 ,his dress was simple and dignified4 ,he wore a long white robe1 divided in front1 from top to bottom1 by a broad strip of black material1 which made the whiteness of his beard stand out admirably4 ,his walk1 his gestures1 his glance1--everything about him commanded respect from the very first4 ,the great archimandrite was a superior man4 ,he had a profound mind and great learning1 and spoke several languages2 besides1 by reason of his virtues and kindness he was cherished by all who knew him4 ,his grave vocation never prevented him from being affable and gracious toward high society4 ,one of the ,princesses ,galitzin1 who was very beautiful1 seeing him in a garden one day1 ran to throw herself on her knees before him4 ,the old man at once picked a rose and gave it to her1 accompanying it with his blessing4 ,one of my regrets on leaving ,st4 ,petersburg was my not having done the archimandrite's portrait1 for ,i believe no painter could ever meet with a finer model4 ,,chapter ,,xi ,,family ,,affairs ,,poniatowski1 ,,last ,,king ,,of ,,poland -- ,,his ,,amiable ,,character -- ,,the ,,authoress',s ,,faculty ,,of ,,presaging ,,death -- ,,poniatowski1 ,,the ,,nephew -- ,,mme4 ,,lebrun ,,received ,,as ,a ,,member ,,of ,,the ,,st4 ,,petersburg ,,academy -- ,,her ,,daughter',s ,,untoward ,,marriage -- ,,resulting ,,in ,,estrangement ,,between ,,mother ,,and ,,child4 ,i will now speak of a man ,i frequently saw for whom ,i entertained a lively friendship1 and who1 after wearing a crown1 was then living in ,st4 ,petersburg as a private gentleman4 ,this was ,stanislaus ,augustus ,poniatowski1 ,poland's last king4 ,in my early youth ,i had heard this prince1 who had not then ascended the throne1 talked of by people in the habit of meeting him at ,mme4 ,geoffrin's1 where he often went to dinner4 ,all his companions of that date praised his amiability and his good looks4 ,for his good or his harm--it is difficult to decide which--he made a journey to ,st4 ,petersburg4 ,catherine ,,ii4 showed him every distinction1 and helped him with all her might to become ,king of ,poland4 ,poniatowski was crowned in ,september of the year #agfd4 ,but this same ,catherine destroyed her own work and overthrew the monarch she had so heartily helped4 ,the ruin of ,poland once determined1 ,replin and ,stachelberg1 the ,russian envoys1 became the actual rulers of this unfortunate kingdom1 and so remained until the day it ceased to exist4 ,their court became more numerous than that of the ,prince1 whom they continually insulted with impunity1 and who was king in name only4 ,stanislaus ,augustus ,poniatowski was kind-hearted and very brave1 but perhaps he wanted the necessary energy to hold down the spirit of rebellion reigning in his country4 ,he did everything to make himself agreeable to the nobility and the people1 and he partly succeeded4 ,but there were so many disorderly interior elements1 in addition to the scheme of the three great neighbouring powers for the seizure of ,poland1 that it would have been a miracle had he triumphed4 ,he ultimately succumbed and retired to ,grodno1 where he lived on a pension allowed him by ,russia1 ,prussia and ,austria1 who had divided his kingdom between them4 ,after the death of ,catherine ,,ii41 the ,emperor ,paul invited ,poniatowski to ,st4 ,petersburg1 to be present at his coronation4 ,during the whole ceremony1 which was very long1 the ex-king was allowed to stand1 which1 in view of his advanced years1 pained everybody there4 ,paul afterward behaved more civilly when he asked him to stay at ,st4 ,petersburg1 and lodged him in a marble palace to be seen on a fine quay of the ,neva4 ,the ,king of ,poland was now suitably housed4 ,he created an agreeable social circle for himself1 largely composed of ,french1 to whom were added some other foreigners he wished to honour4 ,he was so extremely good as to seek me out1 to bid me to his private parties1 and he called me his dear friend1 as ,prince ,kaunitz did at ,vienna4 ,nothing touched me more than to hear him repeat that it would have made him glad to have me at ,warsaw while he was still king4 ,i was aware1 in fact1 how at that time1 some one having told him ,i was going to ,poland1 he had replied that he would treat me with the greatest distinction4 ,but ,i am sure that every allusion to the past must have been very painful to him4 ,he was very tall2 his handsome face expressed gentleness and kindness2 his voice was resounding1 and his walk erect without conceit2 his conversation had a particular charm1 since he loved and knew literature to a high degree4 ,he was so passionately fond of the arts1 that at ,warsaw1 when he was king1 he perpetually went to visit the best artists4 ,he was more considerate than can possibly be imagined4 ,i recollect being given a proof that makes me feel rather ashamed when ,i think of it4 ,sometimes1 when ,i am painting1 ,i refuse to see any one in the world but my model1 which more than once has made me rude to people coming to disturb me at my work4 ,one morning1 when ,i was occupied with finishing a portrait1 the ,king of ,poland came to see me4 ,having heard the noise of horses at my door1 ,i fully suspected it was he who was paying me a call1 but ,i was so absorbed in my task that ,i lost my temper so far as to cry out1 at the moment he opened my door1 ,i am not at home6 ,the ,king1 without a word1 put on his cloak again and went away4 ,when ,i had laid down my palette and recalled in cold blood what ,i had done1 ,i reproached myself so strongly that the same evening ,i went to the ,king of ,poland for the purpose of proffering my excuses and asking pardon4 ,what a reception you gave me this morning6 he said as soon as he set eyes on me4 ,he then immediately went on3 ,i quite understand how a very busy artist becomes impatient if disturbed1 and so you may believe that ,i am not at all angry with you4 ,he obliged me to remain to supper1 and there was no further mention of my delinquency4 ,illustration3 ,,portrait ,,of ,,the ,,authoress ,painted for the ,uffizi ,gallery at ,florence1 where the ,picture ,now ,hangs4 ,i rarely missed the little suppers of the ,king of ,poland4 ,lord ,witworth1 the ,english ,ambassador to ,russia1 and the ,marquis de ,rivire were likewise faithful attendants4 ,we all three preferred these intimate gatherings to the large mobs1 because after supper there was always a delightful round of chat1 enlivened especially by the ,king1 who knew a host of interesting anecdotes4 ,one evening1 when ,i had followed the usual invitation1 ,i was struck by the singular change ,i observed in our dear ,prince's appearance2 his left eye particularly looked so dull that ,i was frightened4 ,at leaving1 ,i said on the staircase to ,lord ,witworth and to the ,marquis de ,rivire1 on whose arm ,i was1 ,do you know1 ,i am very anxious about the ,king8 ,why so8 they asked4 ,he seemed remarkably well2 he talked as he always does4 ,i have the misfortune to be a good soothsayer1 ,i replied4 ,i read uncommon trouble in his eyes4 ,the ,king will soon die4 ,alas6 ,i had only prophesied too well1 for the next day the ,king went down with an attack of apoplexy1 and a few days later was buried in the citadel close to ,catherine4 ,i did not learn of his death without feeling a very real sorrow1 which was shared by all who had known the ,king of ,poland4 ,i am rarely mistaken in the meaning of the ocular expression4 ,the last time ,i saw the ,duchess de ,mazarin1 who was in perfect health1 and in whom nobody observed the least change1 ,i said to my husband1 ,in another month the ,duchess will not be alive4 ,and my prophecy came true4 ,stanislaus ,poniatowski never married2 he had a niece and two nephews4 ,his oldest nephew1 ,prince ,joseph ,poniatowski1 is well known through his military talents and the great bravery which have earned for him the name of the ,polish ,bayard4 ,when ,i knew him at ,st4 ,petersburg he might have been twenty-five to twenty-seven years old4 ,though his forehead was already devoid of hair1 his face was remarkably handsome4 ,all his features1 admirably regular1 were indicative of a noble soul4 ,he had exhibited such prodigious valour and so much military science in the late war against the ,turks that the public voice already proclaimed him a great captain1 and ,i was surprised upon seeing him how any one could win so high a reputation at that early age4 ,at ,st4 ,petersburg all vied with each other in welcoming and making much of him4 ,at a great supper given him1 to which ,i was bidden1 all the women urging him to have his portrait painted by me1 he answered with a modesty conspicuous in his character1 ,i must win several more battles before ,i can be painted by ,mme4 ,lebrun4 ,when ,i again saw ,joseph ,poniatowski at ,paris ,i at first did not recognise him1 so much was he changed4 ,into the bargain he was wearing a hideous wig that completed his metamorphosis4 ,his renown had1 however1 reached such a point that there was no need for him to be distressed at having lost his good looks4 ,he was then preparing to go to war in ,germany under ,napoleon1 to whom he1 as a ,pole1 had become a faithful ally4 ,the heroism he displayed in the campaign of #ahab and #ahac is sufficiently known1 as well as the tragic occurrence that ended his noble career4 ,joseph ,poniatowski's brother resembled him in no way2 he was lanky1 chilly1 and dry4 ,i got a close view of him at ,st4 ,petersburg1 and remember that one morning he came to my house to look at ,countess ,strogonoff's portrait1 and that he concerned himself about nothing but the frame4 ,he nevertheless manifested great pretensions as a picture fancier1 permitting his opinions to be guided by an artist who drew very well1 but whose chief distinction was to imitate ,raphael's sketches1 in consequence of which he harboured a sovereign disdain for the ,french school4 ,the ,king of ,poland's niece1 ,mme4 ,menicheck1 showed herself obliging to me on many occasions1 and it was a great pleasure to meet her again in ,paris4 ,at ,st4 ,petersburg she made me do the likeness of her daughter1 then quite a child1 whom ,i painted playing with her dog1 as well as the portrait of her uncle1 the ,king of ,poland1 in a ,henri ,,iv4 costume4 ,the first portrait ,i did of that charming prince ,i kept for myself4 ,one of the pleasantest reminiscences of my travels is that of my reception as a member of the ,academy of ,st4 ,petersburg4 ,count ,strogonoff1 then ,director of the ,fine ,arts1 apprised me of the appointed day for my installation4 ,i ordered a uniform of the ,academy1 in the shape of an ,amazonian dress3 a little violet bodice1 a yellow skirt1 and a black hat and feathers4 ,at one o'clock ,i arrived in a room leading to a long gallery1 at the end of which ,i perceived ,count ,strogonoff at a table4 ,i was requested to go up to him4 ,for this purpose ,i was obliged to traverse the long gallery in question1 where tiers of benches had been placed which were full of spectators4 ,but as ,i luckily recognised a number of friends and acquaintances in the crowd1 ,i reached the other end of the gallery without feeling too much confusion4 ,the ,count addressed me in a very flattering little speech1 and then presented me1 on behalf of the ,emperor1 with a diploma nominating me a member of the ,academy4 ,everybody thereupon burst into such applause that ,i was moved to tears1 and ,i shall never forget that touching moment4 ,that evening ,i met several persons who had witnessed the affair4 ,they mentioned my courage in passing through that gallery so full of people4 ,you must suppose1 ,i answered1 that ,i had guessed from their faces how kindly they were prepared to greet me4 ,very soon after ,i did my own portrait for the ,academy of ,st4 ,petersburg4 ,i represented myself painting1 palette in hand4 ,in dwelling on these agreeable memories of my life1 ,i am trying to postpone the moment when ,i must speak of the sorrows1 the cruel anxieties which disturbed the peace and happiness ,i was enjoying at ,st4 ,petersburg4 ,but ,i must now enter upon the sad particulars4 ,my daughter had attained the age of seventeen4 ,she was charming in every respect4 ,her large blue eyes1 sparkling with spirit1 her slightly tip-tilted nose1 her pretty mouth1 magnificent teeth1 a dazzling fresh complexion--all went to make up one of the sweetest faces to be seen4 ,her figure was not very tall2 she was lithe without1 however1 being lean4 ,a natural dignity reigned in all her person1 although she had as much vivacity of manner as of mind4 ,her memory was prodigious3 everything remained that she had learned in her lessons or in the course of her reading4 ,she had a delightful voice1 and sang exquisitely in ,italian1 for at ,naples and ,st4 ,petersburg ,i had given her the best singing masters1 as well as instructors of ,english and ,german4 ,moreover1 she could accompany herself on the piano or the guitar4 ,but what enraptured me above everything else was her happy disposition for painting1 so that ,i cannot say how proud and satisfied ,i was over the many advantages she commanded4 ,i saw in my daughter the happiness of my life1 the future joy of my old age1 and it was therefore not surprising that she gained an ascendancy over me4 ,when my friends said1 ,you love your daughter so madly that it is you who obey her1 ,i would reply1 ,do you not see that she is loved by every one8 ,indeed1 the most prominent residents of ,st4 ,petersburg admired and sought her out4 ,i was not invited without her1 and the successes she won in society were far more to me than any of my own had ever been4 ,since ,i could but very rarely leave my studio of a morning1 ,i sometimes consented to confide my daughter to the ,countess ,czernicheff1 in order that she might take part in sledging expeditions1 which amused her greatly1 and the ,countess would sometimes also take her to spend the evening at her house4 ,there she met a certain ,nigris1 ,count ,czernicheff's secretary4 ,this ,m4 ,nigris had a fairly good face and figure2 he might have been about thirty4 ,as for his abilities1 he drew a little1 and wrote a beautiful hand4 ,his soft ways1 his melancholy look1 and even his yellowish paleness1 gave him an interesting and romantic air1 which so far affected my daughter that she fell in love with him4 ,immediately the ,czernicheff family put their heads together and began an intrigue to make him my son-in-law4 ,being informed what was happening1 my grief was deep1 as may well be imagined2 but unhappy as ,i was at the thought of giving my daughter1 my only child1 to a man without talents1 without fortune1 without a name1 ,i made inquiries about this ,m4 ,nigris4 ,some spoke well of him1 but others reported badly1 so that the days went by without my being able to fix upon any decision4 ,in vain did ,i attempt to make my daughter understand how unlikely in every way this marriage was to make her happy4 ,her head was so far turned that she would take nothing from my affection and experience4 ,on the other hand1 people who had determined to get my consent employed all possible means to wring it from me4 ,i was told that ,m4 ,nigris would carry off my daughter and that they would marry at some country inn4 ,i had little faith in this elopement and secret marriage1 because ,m4 ,nigris had no fortune1 and the family that befriended him was not blessed with superfluous money4 ,i was threatened with the ,emperor1 and ,i answered1 ,then ,i will tell him that mothers have truer and older rights than all the emperors in the world6 ,it will scarcely be credited that the persons intriguing against me were so sure of making me yield under persecution that they were already throwing out allusions to a marriage portion4 ,as ,i was supposed to be very rich1 the ambassador from ,naples came to see me and asked a sum which far exceeded my possessions4 ,i had left ,france with eighty louis in my pocket1 and a portion of my savings ,i had since lost through the ,bank of ,venice4 ,i could have endured the malignant and stupid slanders which the cabal spread1 and which were repeated to me from all sides2 it pained me much more to see my daughter becoming alienated and withdrawing all her confidence from me4 ,her old governess1 ,mme4 ,charrot1 who had already made the great mistake of allowing her to read novels without my knowledge1 had totally dominated her mind and embittered her against me to such a degree that all a mother's love was impotent to fight against her sinister influence4 ,at last my daughter1 who had become thin and changed1 fell ill altogether4 ,i was then1 of course1 obliged to surrender1 and wrote to ,m4 ,lebrun1 so that he might send his approval4 ,m4 ,lebrun had in recent letters spoken of his wish to marry our daughter to ,gurin1 whose successes in painting had been bruited loud enough to reach my ears4 ,but this plan1 which had such attractions for me1 now could not be carried out4 ,i informed ,m4 ,lebrun1 making him feel that1 having but this one dear child1 we must sacrifice everything to her desires and her happiness4 ,illustration3 ,,portrait ,,of ,,mme4 ,,lebrun',s ,,daughter ,in the ,bologna ,gallery4 ,the letter gone1 ,i had the satisfaction of seeing my daughter recover2 but alas6 that satisfaction was the only one she gave me4 ,owing to the distance1 her father's answer was long delayed1 and some one convinced her that ,i had only written to ,m4 ,lebrun to prevent him from assenting to what she called her felicity4 ,the suspicion hurt me cruelly2 nevertheless1 ,i wrote again several times1 and1 after letting her read my letters1 gave them to her1 so that she might post them herself4 ,even this great condescension on my part was not enough to undeceive her4 ,with the distrust toward me that was incessantly being poured into her1 she said to me one day1 ,i post your letters1 but ,i am sure you write others to the contrary4 ,i was stunned and heartbroken1 when at that very moment the postman arrived with a letter from ,m4 ,lebrun giving his consent4 ,a mother might then1 without being accused of exaction1 have expected some excuses or thanks2 but in order to have it understood how entirely those wicked people had estranged my daughter's heart1 ,i will confess that the cruel child showed not the least gratitude at what ,i had done for her in immolating all my wishes1 hopes and dislikes4 ,the wedding was nevertheless enacted a few days later4 ,i gave my daughter a very fine wedding outfit and some jewellery1 including a bracelet1 mounted with some large diamonds1 on which was her father's likeness4 ,her marriage portion1 the product of the portraits ,i had painted at ,st4 ,petersburg1 ,i deposited with the banker ,livio4 ,the day after my daughter's wedding ,i went to see her4 ,i found her placid and unelated over her bliss4 ,being at her house again a fortnight later1 ,i made the inquiry1 ,you are very happy1 ,i trust1 now that you are married to him8 ,m4 ,nigris1 who was talking with some one else1 had his back turned to us1 and1 since he was afflicted with a severe cold1 had a heavy great coat on his shoulders4 ,she replied1 ,i confess that fur coat is disenchanting2 how could you expect me to be smitten with such a figure as that8 ,thus a fortnight had sufficed for love to evaporate4 ,as for me1 the whole charm of my life seemed to be irretrievably destroyed4 ,i even felt no joy in loving my daughter1 though ,god knows how much ,i still did love her1 in spite of all her wrongdoing4 ,only mothers will fully understand me4 ,soon after her marriage she took the smallpox4 ,although ,i had never had that frightful disease1 no one succeeded in preventing me from hastening to her side4 ,her face was so swelled up that ,i was seized with terror4 ,but it was only for her that ,i feared1 and as long as the illness lasted ,i thought not of myself for a single moment4 ,at last ,i was glad to see her restored without being marked in the least4 ,i then resolved to leave for ,moscow4 ,i wanted a change from ,st4 ,petersburg1 where ,i had been suffering to such a degree that my health was affected4 ,not that after the wedding the wretched stories which had been brought up against me left any impression4 ,on the contrary1 the people who had blackened my character most repented of their injustice4 ,however1 ,i was unable to shake off the memory of the past months4 ,i felt miserable1 but kept my trouble to myself2 ,i complained of no one4 ,i observed silence1 even with my dearest friends1 on the subject of my daughter and the man she had given me for a son1 going so far as reticence toward my brother1 to whom ,i had written frequently since being apprised by him of another misfortune4 ,indeed1 this period of my life was devoted to tears3 we had lost our mother4 ,hoping1 then1 to obtain relief from so much sorrow through distraction and a change of scene1 ,i hastened the life-sized portrait ,i was then doing of the ,empress ,maria1 as well as several half-length portraits1 and left for ,moscow on the #aeth of ,october1 #ahjj4 ,,chapter ,,xii ,,moscow ,,journey ,,to ,,moscow -- ,a ,,bad ,,smell ,,and ,,its ,,origin -- ,,first ,,impressions ,,of ,,moscow -- ,,another ,,impression1 ,,oral ,,and ,,unpleasing -- ,,the ,,kremlin -- ,,steam-,,and-,,snow ,,bathing -- ,,society -- ,,luxurious ,,prince ,,kurakin -- ,,an ,,impossible ,,duologue -- ,,examples ,,of ,,russian ,,cleverness -- ,,determination ,,to ,,return ,,to ,,france4 ,no more dreadful fatigue can be imagined than that which awaited me in the journey from ,st4 ,petersburg to ,moscow4 ,the roads ,i counted upon as being frozen--as ,i had been led to believe--were not yet in that condition4 ,the roads1 in fact1 were terrible2 the logs1 which rendered them almost impracticable in severe weather1 not being as yet fixed by the frost1 rolled incessantly under the wheels1 and produced the same effect as waves of the sea4 ,my carriage was half-covered with mud1 and gave us such terrible shocks that at every moment ,i expected to give up the ghost4 ,for the sake of some relief from this torture1 ,i stopped half-way at the inn of ,novgorod1 the only one on the route1 where--so ,i had been informed--,i should be well fed and lodged4 ,being greatly in want of rest1 and faint with hunger1 ,i asked for a room4 ,hardly was ,i installed when ,i noticed a pestilential smell that made me sick4 ,the master of the inn1 whom ,i begged to change my room1 had no other to give me1 and ,i therefore resigned myself4 ,but soon1 seeming to observe that the intolerable stench came from a glazed door in the room1 ,i called for a waiter1 and questioned him as to the door4 ,oh6 he calmly replied1 there has been a dead man behind that door since yesterday4 ,that is probably what you smell4 ,i waited for no further particulars1 got up1 had my horses harnessed1 and started1 taking nothing with me but a piece of bread to continue my journey to ,moscow4 ,i had accomplished but half of the journey whose second part was to be more fatiguing than the first4 ,not that there were any high hills1 but the road consisted of perpetual ups and downs--which ,i called torture4 ,the climax to my annoyance was that ,i could not amuse myself with a view of the country through which ,i was travelling1 since a thick fog veiled the scene on all sides1 and this always depresses me4 ,if one considers1 besides these tribulations1 the diet ,i was restricted to after ,i had eaten my piece of bread1 it will readily be conceived that ,i must have found the road very long4 ,at length ,i arrived in the former immense capital of ,russia4 ,i seemed to be entering ,ispahan1 of which place ,i had seen several drawings1 so much does the aspect of ,moscow differ from everything else in ,europe4 ,nor will ,i attempt to describe the effect of those thousands of gilded cupolas surmounted with huge gold crosses1 those broad streets1 those superb palaces1 for the most part situated so far asunder that villages intervened4 ,to obtain a right idea of ,moscow1 you must see it4 ,i was driven to the mansion which ,m4 ,dimidoff had been kind enough to lend me4 ,this enormous building had in front of it a large courtyard surrounded by very high railings4 ,it was untenanted1 and ,i promised myself perfect peace4 ,after all my fatigue and my forced diet1 my first concern1 as soon as ,i had appeased my hunger1 was1 of course1 to sleep4 ,but1 bad luck to it6 at five o'clock in the morning ,i was awakened with a start by an infernal din4 ,a large troop of those ,russian musicians who only blow one note each on their horns had established themselves in the room next to mine to practise4 ,perhaps the room was very spacious and the only one suitable for this kind of rehearsal4 ,i was careful to inquire of the porter if this music was played every day4 ,upon his answer that1 the palace being uninhabited1 the largest apartment had been devoted to this purpose1 ,i resolved to make no change in the customs of a house that was not my own1 and to look for another lodging4 ,in one of my first expeditions ,i called on the ,countess ,strogonoff1 the wife of my good old friend4 ,i found her hoisted on the top of some very high affair which did nothing but rock to and fro4 ,i could not imagine how she could endure this perpetual motion1 but she wanted it for her health1 as she was unable to walk4 ,but this did not prevent her being agreeable to me4 ,i spoke to her of the embarrassment ,i was in on account of lodgings4 ,she at once told me she had a pretty house that was not occupied1 and begged me to accept it1 but because she would hear nothing of my paying a rent1 ,i positively declined the offer4 ,seeing that her efforts were in vain1 she sent for her daughter1 who was very pretty1 and asked me to paint this young person's portrait in payment of rent1 to which ,i agreed with pleasure4 ,thus1 a few days later1 ,i settled in a house where ,i hoped to find quiet1 since ,i was to live there alone4 ,so soon as ,i was established in my new dwelling1 ,i visited the town as often as the rigours of the season would permit4 ,for during the five months ,i spent at ,moscow1 the snow never melted2 it deprived me of the pleasure of seeing the environments1 said to be admirable4 ,moscow is at least ten miles round4 ,the ,moskva cuts through the town1 and is joined by two other small streams1 and it is really an astonishing sight--all those palaces1 those finely sculptured public monuments1 those convents1 those churches1 all intermingled with pretty landscapes and villages4 ,this mixture of urban magnificence and rural simplicity produces an extraordinary1 fantastic effect1 which must please the traveller who is in search of something new4 ,the churches are so numerous in this city that a popular saying runs3 ,moscow with its forty times forty churches4 ,moscow is supposed to contain #dbj1jjj inhabitants1 and commerce must be on a large scale1 because in a single quarter1 whose name ,i have forgotten1 there are six thousand shops4 ,in the quarter called the ,kremlin there stands the fortress of the same name1 the old palace of the czars4 ,this fortress is as ancient as the town1 said to have been built about the middle of the twelfth century1 and is situated on an elevation at the foot of which flows the ,moskva1 but there is nothing remarkable in the style excepting its antiquity4 ,close to this pile1 whose walls are flanked with towers1 ,i was shown a bell of colossal dimensions half-embedded in the ground1 and ,i was told it had never been possible to raise it in order to hang it in the palace chapel4 ,the cemeteries at ,moscow are stupendous1 and following the custom prevailing all over ,russia1 several times a year1 but especially on the day that in ,russia corresponds to our ,death ,day1 the cemeteries are filled with vast crowds4 ,men and women kneel at their family tombs1 and there give vent to loud lamentations1 which may be heard a long way off4 ,a habit as universal in ,moscow as in ,st4 ,petersburg is the taking of steam baths4 ,there are some for women and some for men1 only when the men have taken their bath1 coming out of it as red as scarlet1 they go out and roll in the snow in the most extreme cold4 ,to this habit the vigour and sound health of the ,russians have been attributed4 ,it is very certain they know nothing of chest maladies or rheumatism4 ,a pleasant walk in ,moscow is the market1 which is always to be found provisioned with the rarest and most excellent fruits4 ,it is in the middle of a garden1 and is traversed by a broad avenue which renders the place fascinating4 ,it is quite proper for the greatest ladies to go there and do their buying in person4 ,in summer they repair thither in carriages1 and in winter in sledges4 ,i had observed that in ,st4 ,petersburg society formed1 so to speak1 a single family1 all the members of the nobility being cousins to one another4 ,at ,moscow1 where the population and the nobility are far more numerous1 society becomes almost the public4 ,for instance1 you will find six thousand persons in the ballroom where the first families meet4 ,around this room runs a colonnade on a platform a few feet above the ground1 where the persons who are not dancing can promenade1 and adjoining are various apartments in which people sup or play cards4 ,i went to one of these balls1 and was surprised at the quantity of pretty women ,i found assembled4 ,i can say the same for a ball to which ,marshal ,soltikoff invited me4 ,the young women were nearly all of remarkable beauty4 ,they had imitated the antique costume ,i had suggested to the ,grand ,duchess ,elisabeth for ,catherine ,,ii4's ball4 ,they wore cashmere tunics edged with gold fringes2 gorgeous jewels held their short upturned sleeves in place2 their ,greek head-dresses were for the most part tied with bands adorned with diamonds4 ,nothing could have been more stylish or luxurious than these costumes2 they beautified even this class of lovely women1 of whom no one was prettier than the next4 ,one ,i especially observed was a young person soon after married to ,prince ,tufakin4 ,her face1 whose features were regular and delicate1 wore an excessively melancholy expression4 ,after her marriage ,i began her portrait1 but was only able to finish the head in ,moscow1 so that ,i carried off the picture to finish it at ,st4 ,petersburg1 where1 however1 ,i before long heard of the death of that charming young lady4 ,she was scarcely more than seventeen years old4 ,i painted her as ,iris1 seated on some clouds1 with a billowy scarf about her4 ,illustration3 ,,madame ,,vig,e ,,lebrun4 ,mme4 ,soltikoff kept one of the best houses in ,moscow4 ,i had paid her a call upon arrival4 ,she and her husband1 who was then ,governor of the town1 showed me great kindness4 ,she asked me to paint the ,marshal's portrait1 and her daughter's1 who had married ,count ,gregory ,orloff1 son of ,count ,vladimir4 ,at this time ,i was doing a picture of ,countess ,strogonoff's daughter1 so that by the end of ten or twelve days ,i had begun six portraits1 without counting the likeness of the good and genial ,mme4 ,ducrest de ,villeneuve1 whom ,i was charmed to meet again in ,moscow1 and who was so pretty that ,i insisted on painting her4 ,an accident that might have cost me my life deprived me of the use of my studio and retarded the completion of all these works4 ,i was enjoying perfect peace in the house loaned me by ,countess ,strogonoff1 but1 as it had not been inhabited for seven years1 it was horribly cold4 ,i remedied the evil as far as possible by heating all the stoves to the utmost4 ,in spite of this measure1 ,i was obliged to leave the fire lit in my bedroom at night1 and was so frozen in bed1 with the shutters hermetically closed1 to say nothing of a small lamp burning near me to moderate the air1 that ,i tied my pillow all round my head with a ribbon1 at the risk of being stifled4 ,one night1 when ,i had succeeded in going to sleep1 ,i was awakened by suffocating smoke4 ,i barely had time to ring for my maid1 who declared that she had put out all the fires4 ,i told her to open the passage door4 ,scarcely had she obeyed when her candle went out1 and my room and the whole apartment was filled with thick1 sickening smoke4 ,we broke the windows as fast as we could4 ,not knowing where this dreadful smoke came from1 it may well be imagined how anxious ,i was4 ,i then sent for one of the men who lit the fires1 and he informed me that another man had forgotten to open the cover capping the pipes1 which is on the roof1 ,i think4 ,relieved from the alarm of having set ,countess ,strogonoff's house on fire1 ,i went to look at my rooms1 all upset that ,i was4 ,near the room where ,i gave my sittings was a large stove with two doors1 in front of which ,i had put ,marshal ,soltikoff's picture to dry4 ,i found this portrait so thoroughly scorched that ,i was obliged to do it over again4 ,but what gave me most pain in this night of trouble was my inability to have removed at once a collection of pictures by various great masters1 sent me by my husband2 they1 of course1 suffered very much4 ,by five o'clock in the morning the smoke had only begun to disperse1 and as we had broken the windows the place was no longer tenable4 ,but what were we to do8 where to go8 ,i decided to send to good ,mme4 ,ducrest de ,villeneuve4 ,she rushed over at once1 and took me off to her house1 where ,i remained a fortnight1 during which the dear woman showered attentions upon me which ,i shall never forget4 ,when ,i had concluded to go home1 ,i first went with ,m4 ,ducrest de ,villeneuve to examine the premises4 ,although the windows had not yet been replaced1 the whole house was still so redolent with smoke that it was impossible to think of living in it then4 ,i was exceedingly put out at this1 when ,count ,gregory ,orloff1 with that courtesy which is the natural heritage of the ,russians1 offered to lend me a vacant house belonging to him4 ,i accepted his offer1 and immediately went to settle in my new lodgings4 ,here1 by the way1 the rain poured in so hard that ,mme4 ,soltikoff1 coming to see me and wishing to stay a few minutes in the room where my pictures were exhibited1 asked me for an umbrella4 ,but in spite of this new form of discomfort1 ,i remained in the house until my departure from ,moscow4 ,the ,russian nobles display as much luxury at ,moscow as at ,st4 ,petersburg4 ,moscow possesses a multitude of splendid palaces most richly furnished4 ,one of the most sumptuous belonged to ,prince ,alexander ,kurakin1 whom ,i knew in ,st4 ,petersburg1 where ,i had twice painted his portrait4 ,on learning that ,i was in ,moscow1 he came to see me1 and invited me to dinner with my friends1 the ,countess ,ducrest de ,villeneuve and her husband4 ,we found an immense palace1 ornamented externally with royal magnificence4 ,every room through which we passed was more handsomely furnished than the one preceding1 and in most of them was a picture of the master of the house1 either full or half length4 ,before leading us to table ,prince ,kurakin showed us his bedchamber1 which surpassed all the rest in elegance4 ,the bed1 standing on a raised platform laid with superb carpets1 was encircled by richly draped columns4 ,two statues and two vases with flowers stood at the four corners of the platform2 chairs of exquisite taste and divans of great price rendered this room a habitation worthy of ,venus4 ,to reach the dining-room we traversed broad corridors1 both sides of which were lined with liveried serfs holding torches1 which made me feel as though ,i was taking part in some grave and solemn ceremony4 ,during the dinner invisible musicians overhead diverted us with the horn-playing ,i have already referred to4 ,prince ,kurakin's large fortune allowed him to maintain the establishment of a king4 ,he was an excellent man1 politely obliging toward his equals1 and not in the least haughty to his inferiors4 ,i also dined with ,prince ,galitzin1 universally sought after because of his affable and friendly ways4 ,although he was too old to sit down to table with his guests1 forty in number1 the luxurious and very abundant dinner nevertheless lasted more than three hours1 which tired me inexpressibly1 especially as ,i was placed opposite a tall window through which came a blinding light4 ,to me this banquet seemed unendurable1 but by way of compensation ,i had the pleasure1 before eating1 of going through a fine gallery containing pictures by great masters1 mixed1 it is true1 with some that were rather mediocre4 ,prince ,galitzin1 whom age and illness kept to his armchair1 had charged his nephew with doing me the honours4 ,this young man1 being ignorant of painting1 limited himself to explaining the subjects as best he could1 and ,i had difficulty in refraining from laughter when1 before a picture representing ,psyche1 being unable to pronounce the name1 he gave me the information1 ,that is ,fich4 ,this long meal at ,prince ,galitzin's reminds me of another1 which probably never ended at all4 ,i had engaged to dine with a big1 stout1 enormously wealthy banker of ,moscow4 ,we were eighteen at table2 never in my life did ,i see such a collection of ugly and insignificant faces--typical faces of money-makers4 ,when ,i had looked at them all once ,i dared not raise my eyes again1 for fear of meeting one of those visages4 ,there was no conversation2 they might have been taken for dummies if they had not eaten like ogres4 ,four hours went by in this fashion1 and ,i was bored to the verge of nausea4 ,at last ,i made up my mind1 and feigning indisposition ,i left them sitting at the table--where they perhaps still are4 ,it was an unlucky day1 for that evening a rather comical episode occurred1 though it did not amuse me in the least4 ,for some reason or other ,i was obliged to make a call upon an ,englishwoman4 ,a lady of my acquaintance took me there1 and left me for some time1 after promising to come back for me4 ,as ill-luck would have it1 this ,englishwoman knew not a word of ,french1 and myself not a word of ,english1 and it may readily be conceived how great was our mutual embarrassment4 ,i still see her before a little table1 between two candles lighting up a face as pale as death4 ,she thought it her duty1 from politeness1 to keep talking to me in a language ,i could not understand1 and ,i reciprocated by addressing her in ,french1 which she understood no better4 ,we remained together more than an hour1 which hour seemed to me a century1 and ,i imagine the poor ,englishwoman must have found it just as long4 ,at the period when ,i was in ,moscow the wealthiest resident of the town1 and perhaps of all ,russia1 was ,prince ,bezborodko4 ,he could have raised1 it is said1 an army of #cj1jjj men on his estate1 so many peasants did he own1 these people1 as everybody knows1 being considered as part of the soil in ,russia4 ,on his different properties he owned a large number of serfs1 whom he treated with the greatest kindness1 and whom he caused to be instructed in various trades4 ,when ,i went to see him he showed me rooms full of furniture1 bought in ,paris from the workshops of the famous upholsterer1 ,dagure4 ,most of this furniture had been imitated by his serfs1 and it was impossible to distinguish between copy and original4 ,it is this fine work which leads me to assert that the ,russian people are gifted with remarkable intelligence2 they understand everything1 and seem endowed with the talent of execution4 ,thus the ,prince de ,ligne wrote3 ,i see ,russians who are told to be sailors1 huntsmen1 musicians1 engineers1 painters1 actors1 and who become all these things according to their masters' wish4 ,i see others sing and dance in the trenches1 plunged in snow and mud1 in the midst of musket and cannon shots4 ,and they are all alert1 attentive1 obedient1 and respectful4 ,prince ,bezborodko was a man of high ability4 ,he was employed in the reign of ,catherine ,,ii4 and of ,paul1 first as secretary to the cabinet1 and then1 in #aghj1 as ,secretary of ,state for ,foreign ,affairs4 ,in his desire to avoid the countless appeals by which he was besieged1 he made himself as inaccessible as possible4 ,women sometimes followed him into his carriage4 ,he would answer their demands with ,i shall forget1 and if it was a case of a petition with ,i shall lose it4 ,his greatest gift was a thorough and exact knowledge of the ,russian language4 ,in addition to this he boasted a phenomenal memory and an astonishing facility of putting his thoughts into words4 ,i give a well-known instance in proof thereof4 ,on one occasion the ,empress ordered him to draw up a ukase1 which1 however1 a great pressure of business caused him to forget4 ,the first time he saw the ,empress again1 after conferring with him on several matters of administration1 she asked him for the ukase4 ,bezborodko1 not the least bit in the world dismayed1 drew a sheet of paper out of his portfolio1 and without a moment's hesitation improvised the whole thing from beginning to end4 ,catherine was so well pleased with this presentment that she took the paper from him to look at it4 ,her surprise may be imagined at the sight of a sheet that was quite blank6 ,bezborodko began elaborate excuses1 but she stopped him with compliments1 and the next day made him ,privy ,councillor4 ,another ,russian1 whose memory was as marvellous as ,prince ,bezborodko's1 was ,count ,buturlin1 whom ,i knew quite well at ,moscow1 where1 by the way1 we lived so far apart that whenever ,i supped with ,countess ,buturlin ,i was obliged to go two miles4 ,the ,count1 through his experience and his knowledge1 is one of the most remarkable men ,i have ever known4 ,he speaks all the languages with extraordinary ease1 and his information on all sorts of subjects renders his conversation infinitely fascinating4 ,but his superiority over others never prevented him from being very unaffected1 nor from treating his friends with good-nature and generosity4 ,he owned a huge library in ,moscow1 composed of the rarest and most valuable books in different languages4 ,his memory was such that when he was recounting a historical or any other anecdote he could at once tell in what room and on what shelf of his library the book was that he had just cited4 ,i was greatly amazed at this1 yet a thing as fully astonishing was to hear him talk of all the towns of ,europe and their most conspicuous features as if he had lived in them a long time1 whereas he had never once set foot outside of ,russia4 ,for my part1 ,i know that he spoke to me about ,paris and its buildings1 and everything curious to be seen there1 in such complete detail that ,i exclaimed1 ,it is impossible that you have not been in ,paris6 ,the request made to me for portraits and my agreeable social circle ought to have kept me longer in ,moscow1 where ,i stayed but five months1 of which ,i spent six weeks in my room4 ,but ,i was melancholy and ailing2 ,i felt a need of rest1 especially of breathing in a warmer climate4 ,i therefore resolved upon returning to ,st4 ,petersburg to see my daughter and then quitting ,russia4 ,i was1 however1 held back for some days by an unusually severe attack of my general indisposition4 ,,chapter ,,xiii ,,good-,,by ,,to ,,russia ,,departure ,,from ,,moscow -- ,,news ,,of ,,the ,,death ,,of ,,paul -- ,,particulars ,,of ,,his ,,assassination -- ,,et ,,tu ,,brute8 -- ,,paul',s ,,presentiments ,,of ,,peril -- ,,his ,,successor ,,not ,,an ,,accomplice ,,in ,,the ,,crime -- ,,alexander ,i4 ,a ,,popular ,,monarch -- ,,an ,,order ,,from ,,an ,,imperial ,,customer ,,and ,,model -- ,,farewells ,,to ,,friends -- ,,among ,,them1 ,,czar ,,and ,,czarina4 ,when ,i was sufficiently restored ,i announced my departure and made my adieus4 ,everything was done to induce me to stay4 ,people offered to pay more for my portraits than ,i had received in ,st4 ,petersburg--to allow me all the time ,i required to finish them without fatiguing myself4 ,i call to mind now1 the very day prior to my leaving1 while ,i was engaged in packing up on the ground floor of my house1 there suddenly appeared before me1 unannounced1 a man of colossal stature in a white cloak1 at whose sight ,i was nearly frightened to death4 ,in ,moscow one continually saw people banished to ,siberia by ,paul1 and although but two ,french had been exiled--both authors of infamous libels against ,russia--,i forthwith judged this stranger to be an emissary of ,paul4 ,i breathed freely only when ,i heard him beseeching me not to leave ,moscow1 and begging me to do a large likeness of his whole family4 ,upon my refusal1 which ,i made as polite as possible1 the good gentleman asked me fervently at least to give my own portrait to the town4 ,i acknowledge that this last request so touched my heart as to leave me an enduring regret that my affairs and the state of my health prevented me from complying4 ,illustration3 ,,hubert ,,robert ,a ,french ,painter of ,repute4 ,born #agcc4 ,died #ahjh4 ,one of ,mme4 ,lebrun's ,contemporaries4 ,several persons who1 ,i doubt not1 were initiated into the revolutionary conspiracy under progress urged me to defer my departure for a few days1 promising they would go to ,st4 ,petersburg with me4 ,but in my complete ignorance of the plot1 ,i persisted in starting--in which ,i made a great mistake4 ,for by waiting a little ,i might have avoided the hardships ,i underwent on those abominable roads1 again rendered well-nigh impracticable by a thaw4 ,it was on the #abth of ,march1 #ahja1 when ,i was half-way between ,moscow and ,st4 ,petersburg1 that ,i heard the news of ,paul's death4 ,i found in front of the posthouse a number of couriers1 who were about to spread the news in the different towns of the empire1 and1 since they took all the horses1 ,i could obtain none for myself4 ,i was obliged to remain in my carriage1 which had been put by the roadside on the bank of a river2 such a bitter wind was blowing that it froze me4 ,nevertheless1 ,i was compelled to pass the night there4 ,at last ,i contrived to hire some horses1 and ,i reached ,st4 ,petersburg only at eight or nine on the morning of the following day4 ,i found that city in a delirium of joy2 people were singing and dancing and kissing one another in the streets2 acquaintances of mine ran up to my carriage and squeezed my hands1 exclaiming ,what a blessing6 ,they told me that the houses had been illuminated the evening before4 ,in short1 the death of the unhappy ,prince gave rise to general rejoicings4 ,none of the particulars of the dreadful occurrence were secret from anybody1 and ,i can aver that the accounts given me that day all agreed4 ,palhen1 one of the conspirators1 had taken every means to frighten ,paul with a plot he alleged to have been hatched by the ,empress and her children for the purpose of seizing the throne4 ,paul's habitually suspicious mind incited him only too strongly to credit these false confidences1 which enraged him to the degree of ordering his wife and the ,grand ,dukes to be shut up in the fortress4 ,palhen declined to obey without the ,emperor's signed authority4 ,paul gave his signature1 and ,palhen at once went to ,alexander with the document4 ,you see1 he said1 that your father is mad1 and that you are all lost unless we forestall him by locking him up first4 ,alexander1 though believing his life and his family's in jeopardy1 did nothing but consent through silence to this idea1 which seemed merely to propose putting a lunatic out of harm's way4 ,but ,palhen and his accomplices thought it necessary to go further4 ,five of the conspirators undertook the assassination1 one of them being ,plato ,zuboff1 a former pet of ,catherine1 whom ,paul had loaded with favours after recalling him from exile4 ,the five penetrated into ,paul's sleeping apartment after he had gone to bed4 ,the two guards at the door defended it valiantly1 but their resistance was fruitless1 and one of them was killed4 ,at the sight of the infuriated men rushing in upon him1 ,paul rose from his couch4 ,as he was very powerful he made a long fight against his murderers1 who finally managed to strangle him in an armchair4 ,the unhappy man's last words were1 ,you1 too1 ,zuboff6 ,i thought you were my friend6 ,it seems that chance had contributed in every way to the success of the plot4 ,a regiment of soldiers had been brought to surround the palace1 and the ,colonel1 far from being in the counsels of the conspirators1 fully believed that an attempt upon the ,emperor's life was to be frustrated4 ,a portion of the regiment went through the garden to post themselves under ,paul's window4 ,unfortunately1 the marching of the soldiers did not awaken him2 nor did the noise of a flock of crows1 which were in the habit of sleeping on the roof1 and which burst out cawing4 ,had it been otherwise1 the ill-fated ruler would have had time to reach a secret staircase next to his room1 by which he could have descended to that of one ,mme4 ,narischkin1 in whom he had full confidence4 ,having got thus far1 nothing would have been easier for him than to make off in a little boat always moored on the canal beside the palace4 ,besides1 the distrust he harboured against his wife had caused him to double-lock the door dividing his apartments from the ,empress's4 ,when he tried to escape through that door it was too late1 the assassins having taken the precaution to withdraw the key4 ,to crown all1 ,kutaisoff1 his faithful valet1 the very day the murder was committed received a letter revealing the conspiracy2 but this man had for some time been neglecting most of his duties1 and did not open his letters punctually4 ,kutaisoff left the letter disclosing the conspiracy on the table4 ,on opening the missive next day the unhappy man fell into such a desperate state that he nearly died of it4 ,the same was the case with the ,colonel who had placed his troops about the palace4 ,this young officer1 ,talesin by name1 learning of the crime that had been perpetrated1 felt such grief at his deception that he went home with a raging fever1 which nearly put an end to him4 ,i believe1 in fact1 that he did not long survive the blow1 all innocent that he was4 ,but what ,i am sure of is that ,alexander ,i4 went to see him every day during his illness1 and interdicted some firing exercises too near the patient's house4 ,although the various impediments ,i have mentioned might have interfered with ,paul's killing1 it must be concluded that the contrivers of the scheme never doubted its issue4 ,for all ,st4 ,petersburg knew that on the night of the event a handsome young man in the plot named ,s----ky drew out his watch at midnight among a passably large company1 saying3 ,it must all be over by this time4 ,paul was dead1 indeed2 his body was forthwith embalmed1 and for six weeks he lay on a bed of state1 his face uncovered and showing scarcely a trace of decay1 owing to the fact that it was plastered with rouge4 ,the ,empress ,maria1 his widow1 went to kneel in prayer every day at the bed4 ,she took her two youngest sons1 ,nicholas and ,michael1 such small children that ,nicholas one day asked her1 ,why is papa always asleep8 ,the trick employed to make ,alexander ,i4 consent to his father's deposal--for he took no other view of the case--was a fact vouched for to me by ,count ,strogonoff1 one of the wisest and most upright men ,i have ever known1 and the best informed of all as to happenings at the ,russian court4 ,he doubted the less how easy it had been to induce ,paul to sign the order for his wife's and children's imprisonment1 as he was aware by what fearful suspicions the mind of that poor ,prince was haunted4 ,the very evening before the assassination there was a grand court concert1 at which the whole royal family was present4 ,during a moment's private conversation with ,count ,strogonoff1 the ,emperor said to him3 ,no doubt you think me the happiest of men1 my friend4 ,at last ,i am living in this palace of ,st4 ,michael1 which ,i have had built and finely fitted out according to my own tastes4 ,i have my family about me here for the first time4 ,my wife is still good looking1 my eldest son is handsome1 too1 and my daughters are charming4 ,there they are1 all of them1 opposite me2 but when ,i look at them ,i see my murderers in them all4 ,count ,strogonoff exclaimed1 recoiling1 horror-struck3 ,some one is lying to ,your ,majesty6 ,this is an infamous slander6 ,paul stared at him with haggard eyes1 and then1 pressing his hand1 declared1 ,what ,i have just told you is the truth4 ,i am firmly persuaded that ,alexander knew nothing of the attempt to be made upon his father's life4 ,if all the facts ,i was acquainted with at the time were not enough1 ,i have conviction from proof afforded by that ,prince's well-known character4 ,alexander ,i4 had a noble1 magnanimous heart2 not only was he always ,god-fearing1 but he was so honest that even in politics was he never known to resort to guile or deceit4 ,very well1 then--on hearing that ,paul was no more his despair was so intense that no one who went near him could doubt his innocence of the murder4 ,the wiliest of men could not have summoned up all the tears he shed4 ,in the first hours of his grief he refused to be ,emperor1 and ,i know for certain that his wife ,elisabeth threw herself on her knees before him1 imploring him to take the reins of government4 ,he then went to his mother1 the ,empress1 who called to him as soon as she set eyes upon him from afar3 ,go away6 ,go away6 ,i see you all covered with your father's blood6 ,alexander raised his tearful eyes to ,heaven and said1 in accents coming from the soul1 ,i take ,god to witness1 mother1 that ,i did not order this awful crime to be done6 ,these few words bore such a thorough stamp of truth that the ,empress consented to listen to him1 and when she learned how the conspirators had cheated her son in the carrying out of their enterprise1 she fell at his feet with1 ,then ,i bow to my ,emperor6 ,alexander lifted her up1 knelt before her in turn1 took her in his arms and bestowed every mark of respect and affection upon her4 ,nor did he ever give the lie to this affection4 ,so long as he lived never did the ,emperor ,alexander refuse his mother anything1 and his respect toward her was so great that he insisted on maintaining all the honours of court etiquette for her4 ,thus she always took precedence before the ,empress ,elisabeth4 ,paul's death occasioned none of the upheavals which too often follow upon the departure of a ruler4 ,all those who had participated in his favour continued to keep the emoluments they owed to his patronage4 ,his valet ,kutaisoff1 that barber whom he made so rich1 whom he had decorated with the highest orders in ,russia1 remained peacefully in the enjoyment of his master's benefactions4 ,if there was no change in the lot of ,paul's friends1 it was otherwise with his victims4 ,exiles were called back1 and their property was restored to them2 justice was done to all who had been sacrificed to caprices without number4 ,in fact1 a golden era began for ,russia4 ,it was impossible to deny this at witnessing the love1 the regard and the enthusiasm of the ,russians for their new ,emperor4 ,that enthusiasm was so strong that all esteemed it the greatest thing to have seen1 to have met ,alexander4 ,if he went walking in the ,summer ,garden of an evening1 or if he passed along the streets of ,st4 ,petersburg1 the crowd would press about him and call down blessings upon him1 while he1 the most benevolent of princes1 would answer all these demonstrations with perfect graciousness4 ,i was unable to go to ,moscow for his coronation1 but some people who were there told me that nothing was ever more moving or more beautiful4 ,the transports of popular gladness vented themselves all over the city and in the church4 ,when ,alexander placed the diamond crown on the ,empress ,elisabeth's head1 radiant with beauty1 they formed such a lovely pair as to evoke unbounded acclaim4 ,in the midst of the universal elation ,i was myself fortunate enough to meet the ,emperor on one of the ,st4 ,petersburg quays a few days after my arrival4 ,he was on horseback1 and although ,paul's regulations had of course been abolished1 ,i had my carriage stopped for the pleasure of seeing ,alexander pass4 ,he rode up to me at once1 asked me how ,i liked ,moscow1 and whether the roads had given me any trouble4 ,i replied that ,i regretted having been unable to stay long enough in that glorious city to see all its splendours2 as for the roads1 ,i acknowledged they were abominable4 ,he agreed with me1 saying he hoped to have them mended4 ,then1 after paying me a thousand compliments1 he left me4 ,next day ,count ,strogonoff came to me on the ,emperor's behalf1 with a command to paint him at half length1 and also on horseback4 ,no sooner was this news spread than numbers of court people rushed to my house1 asking for a copy of either portrait1 they cared not which1 so long as they had one of ,alexander4 ,at any other time of my life this would have been an opportunity to make a fortune1 but alas6 my physical condition1 to say nothing of the mental sufferings still besetting me1 prohibited me from taking advantage of it4 ,feeling unfit to work at a full-length picture1 ,i did a pastel bust-portrait of the ,emperor1 and one of the ,empress2 these ,i intended to enlarge at ,dresden or ,berlin1 in case ,i should be obliged to leave ,st4 ,petersburg4 ,it was not long1 in fact1 before my ailments became unbearable2 the doctor ,i consulted ordered me to take the waters at ,carlsbad4 ,i cannot describe the regrets ,i experienced at leaving ,st4 ,petersburg1 where ,i had spent such happy years4 ,it was not without an aching heart that ,i bade my daughter good-by1 bitter though it was to see her estranged from me1 to see her completely under the thumb of a clique headed by the vile governess whom ,i would accuse of everything evil4 ,a few days prior to my departure my son-in-law remarked that he did not conceive how ,i could quit ,st4 ,petersburg at the moment most favourable to my fortune4 ,you will admit1 ,i answered1 that my heart must be very sick4 ,the reason you can easily guess4 ,other separations ,i likewise found most painful4 ,the ,princesses ,kurakin and ,dolgoruki1 that excellent ,count ,strogonoff1 who had given me so many proofs of friendship--that was what ,i regretted far more than the fortune ,i was renouncing4 ,i remember how the dear ,count came to see me as soon as he heard ,i was going4 ,he was so perturbed that he walked up and down the studio where ,i was painting1 muttering to himself1 ,no1 no2 she won't go away2 it is impossible6 ,my daughter1 who was present1 thought he was turning mad4 ,to all the kindly proffered demonstrations of attachment ,i could not answer except by a promise to return to ,st4 ,petersburg4 ,and such was then my firm intention4 ,when ,i had quite decided to depart ,i asked for an audience with the ,empress1 which was immediately granted1 and on presenting myself ,i found the ,emperor there1 too4 ,i testified my liveliest and sincerest regrets to ,their ,majesties1 telling them my health compelled me to take the waters at ,carlsbad1 recommended to me for stoppages4 ,to this the ,emperor affably replied3 ,do not go so far in search of a remedy4 ,i will give you the ,empress's horse1 and after riding it for some time you will be cured4 ,i thanked the ,emperor a hundred times for the offer1 but confessed that ,i did not know how to ride4 ,well1 he resumed1 ,i will give you a riding-master to take you out4 ,i cannot say how touched ,i was by such kindness1 and on taking leave of ,their ,majesties ,i sought in vain for terms strong enough to express my gratitude4 ,a few days after this interview ,i met the ,empress walking in the ,summer ,garden4 ,i was with my daughter and ,m4 de ,rivire4 ,her ,majesty stepped up to me1 saying3 ,do not leave us1 ,i beg of you1 ,mme4 ,lebrun4 ,remain here and take care of your health4 ,i cannot bear to have you go4 ,i assured her it was my desire and my purpose to return to ,st4 ,petersburg for the pleasure of seeing her again4 ,god knows ,i spoke the truth1 but ,i have1 none the less1 often been assailed with the fear that my refusal to stay in ,russia may have appeared as ingratitude to ,their ,majesties1 and that they may not have quite forgiven me4 ,on crossing the ,russian border ,i burst into tears4 ,i wanted to retrace my journey1 and ,i vowed ,i would come back to those who had for so long heaped tokens of friendship and devotion upon me1 and whose memory is ever in my heart4 ,but one must believe in fate1 for ,i never again saw the country which ,i still look upon as a second motherland4 ,illustration3 ,a ,,mother ,,and ,,her ,,daughter4 ,,chapter ,,xiv ,,homeward ,,bound ,,first ,,station1 ,,narva -- ,,the ,,cataract -- ,,riga -- ,,hardships ,,of ,,travel ,a ,,hundred ,,years ,,ago -- ,,obdurate ,,custom-,,house ,,officials -- ,a ,,summons ,,to ,,potsdam -- ,,the ,,loveliest ,,and ,,sweetest ,,of ,,queens -- ,,her ,,ugly ,,children -- ,,an ,,ambitious ,,cook -- ,,the ,,journey ,,continued -- ,,remember ,,your ,,jewel-,,case -- ,,modelling ,,in ,,dirt ,,for ,a ,,pastime -- ,,likewise ,,sewing -- ,,home ,,again4 ,i left ,st4 ,petersburg sad1 sick and alone in my carriage1 having been unable to keep my ,russian maid4 ,i had nobody but a very old man who wanted to go to ,prussia1 and whom ,i had given a servant's place through pity1 which ,i had cause to regret1 because he got so drunk at every stage that he had to be carried back to the box4 ,m4 de ,rivire1 escorting me in his calash1 was of no great assistance to me1 especially after crossing the ,russian frontier and entering the sandy district1 for his postilions1 from whom he did not know how to exact obedience1 were continually taking side roads1 while ,i followed the main road4 ,my first stop ,i made at ,narva1 a well-fortified but ugly1 ill-paved little town4 ,the road leading there is entrancing2 it is edged with pretty houses and ,english gardens2 in the distance is the sea1 covered with ships1 which makes this route extremely picturesque4 ,the women of ,narva wear the dress of ancient times4 ,they are good-looking1 for the people of ,livonia in general are splendid4 ,nearly all the heads of the old men reminded me of ,raphael's heads of ,christ1 and the young men1 their long hair falling on their shoulders1 might have been models to that great painter4 ,the day after my arrival ,i went to visit a magnificent cataract at some distance from the town4 ,a huge mass of water--you cannot tell where it comes from--forms a torrent so rapid and powerful that in its course it runs up enormous rocks1 from which it tumbles noisily down to rush up other rocks4 ,the multitudinous cascades thus shooting after each other in succession1 and swallowing each other up1 produce a terrifying din4 ,while ,i was occupied in sketching this beautiful horror some of the inhabitants of ,narva who were watching me told me of a dreadful thing they had witnessed4 ,the waters of the cataract1 swollen by great rains1 had carried away some of the bank1 and with it a house that was the home of a family4 ,the cries of distress of the unfortunates were heard1 and their frightful plight was seen1 but no aid could be given them1 since it was impossible to steer a boat in the torrent4 ,the heartrending spectacle was finally followed by one far more shocking1 when the house and the unhappy family were engulfed1 and disappeared before the eyes of those who were now narrating the catastrophe1 and who were still quite affected by it4 ,arriving at ,riga1 ,i found that this town1 like ,narva1 was neither handsome nor well-paved1 but it is known to be a great commercial place and has a fine harbour4 ,most of the men are habited like ,turks or ,poles1 and all women not of the populace put a gauze veil over their heads when they go out4 ,i scarcely had time to make other observations1 as ,i was hastening to reach ,mittau1 where ,i still hoped to find the royal family4 ,but to my annoyance ,i arrived too late and did not meet them1 so that ,i made but a short stay in this town1 where ,i had only gone for the sake of seeing our ,princes4 ,i had taken the post from ,st4 ,petersburg1 but at ,riga we met the ,grand ,duchess of ,baden1 who was on her way to the ,empress1 her daughter1 and who left not a horse on our route4 ,i was obliged to hire horses at livery-stables1 and the coachman1 instead of putting me down for the night at the posthouses1 took me to wretched cabins where there were no beds and nothing to eat1 so that in most cases ,i spent the night in my carriage4 ,as for food1 the soup ,i got was made without meat1 but with carrots and bad butter4 ,if ,i had a fowl killed it was so lean and so tough that ,m4 de ,rivire and ,i were unable to cut it4 ,and we barely had time to finish these miserable meals1 in so great haste were the liverymen to resume the journey4 ,we drove through such deep sand that the horses went at a walk4 ,it was frightfully hot4 ,in order to get air ,i was obliged to leave all my windows open1 and both postilions smoked incessantly2 the vile odour of their pipes sickened me so that ,i preferred to walk most of the time they smoked1 although ,i was up to my ankles in sand4 ,fortunately1 no robbers are ever met with on these roads4 ,true1 ,i noticed wolves on the neighbouring heights1 but apparently they were afraid of us1 for they always fled when we drew near1 and so did the poor stags1 which ,i frequently saw crossing the road1 when alarmed by ,m4 de ,rivire's calash4 ,in my state of health such hardships were bound to tell upon me4 ,a few days1 in fact1 were enough to break me down to such a degree that not to succumb altogether it needed all my courage and my lively determination not to interrupt the journey4 ,i became so weak and ill that ,i had to drag myself to my carriage1 where ,i remained motionless1 bereft even of the ability to think4 ,the only sensation ,i had was a sharp pain in the right side1 caused by rheumatism1 and intensified with every jolt4 ,this pain was so unbearable that one day1 when we were driving on a road under repair and full of stones1 ,i fainted away in the carriage4 ,a part of my torture ended at ,koenigsberg4 ,there ,i took the post as far as ,berlin1 where ,i arrived about the end of ,july1 #ahja1 at ten in the evening4 ,but though ,i needed rest so badly1 ,i was first to undergo the ordeal of the custom-house4 ,i was made to enter a large1 dark vault1 where ,i waited a full two hours4 ,the customs officers then said they wanted to hold my carriage1 so as to examine it at night1 which would have compelled me to walk to the inn in the pouring rain4 ,i argued with these men in ,french1 and they answered me in ,german4 ,it was enough to drive one to distraction4 ,they would not even allow me to take out a nightcap and a little vial containing an antispasmodic1 of which ,i certainly would stand in great need after such a trial4 ,i was so hoarse from shouting at the barbarians that ,i could not speak4 ,at last ,i obtained permission to leave the custom-house in my carriage1 and ,i went to the ,city of ,paris inn with a customs officer1 a real demon and dead drunk into the bargain4 ,he opened my luggage and turned everything pell-mell1 appropriating a piece of embroidered ,indian stuff given me by ,mme4 ,du ,barry on my departure from ,paris4 ,as ,i did not wish my ,sibyl or the studies ,i had made of the ,emperor and ,empress of ,russia to be unrolled1 my carriage was put under seal1 and at last ,i was able to get to bed4 ,early next day ,i sent for ,m4 ,ranspach1 my banker1 who settled all my difficulties with the custom-house4 ,three days sufficed to rest me from the fatigues of my journey1 and ,i was feeling much better when the ,queen of ,prussia1 who was then absent from ,berlin1 was kind enough to request my presence at ,potsdam1 where she desired me to do her portrait4 ,i went4 ,but my pen is incapable of rendering the impression which the first sight of that ,princess made upon me4 ,the beauty of her heavenly face1 that expressed benevolence and goodness1 and whose features were so regular and delicate1 the loveliness of her figure1 neck1 and arms1 the exquisite freshness of her complexion--all was enchanting beyond anything imaginable4 ,she was in deep mourning1 and wore a coronet of black jet1 which1 far from being to her disadvantage1 brought out the dazzling whiteness of her skin4 ,one must have seen the ,queen of ,prussia in order to understand how bewitched ,i was when ,i first beheld her4 ,she made an appointment for the first sitting4 ,i cannot1 she said1 give it to you before noon1 because the ,king reviews the troops at ten every morning and likes me to attend4 ,she wanted to lodge me in the palace1 but1 knowing that this must inconvenience one of her ladies1 ,i declined with thanks and took quarters in a neighbouring hotel1 where ,i was very badly off in every way4 ,my stay at ,potsdam was nevertheless a veritable delight to me1 for the more ,i saw of that charming ,queen the more was ,i sensible to the privilege of being in her company4 ,she seemed to wish to see the studies ,i had made of the ,emperor ,alexander and the ,empress ,elizabeth2 ,i promptly brought them to her1 as well as my ,sibyl1 which ,i had stretched4 ,i cannot say how graciously she praised this picture4 ,she was so friendly and so kind that the feeling she inspired was altogether one of affection4 ,i look back with pleasure upon all the marks of favour that ,her ,majesty showered upon me1 even in the slightest matters4 ,for instance3 ,i was in the habit of taking coffee of a morning1 and in my hotel it was always atrocious4 ,somehow ,i told the ,queen about this1 and the next day she sent me some that was excellent4 ,another time1 when ,i complimented her on her bracelets1 which were in the antique style1 she at once removed them from her arms and put them on mine4 ,this gift was more welcome to me than a fortune would have been2 from that day forth those bracelets have travelled with me everywhere4 ,she was also obliging enough to give me a box at the theatre quite near hers4 ,from this place of vantage ,i enjoyed1 above all1 looking at ,her ,majesty1 whose lovely face was like that of a sixteen-year-old girl4 ,during one of our sittings the ,queen sent for her children4 ,to my great surprise ,i found that they were ugly4 ,in showing them to me she said1 ,they are not pretty4 ,i confess ,i had not the courage to deny it4 ,i contented myself with replying that their faces had a great deal of character4 ,besides the two pastels ,i made of ,her ,majesty1 ,i did two others of ,prince ,ferdinand's family4 ,one of the young princesses1 ,louise1 who had married ,prince ,radziwill1 was pretty and very genial4 ,for some time ,i had a delightful correspondence with her2 ,i count her as one of the people one can never forget4 ,her husband was a thorough musician4 ,i remember a surprise he caused me arising solely from a difference in national customs4 ,during my sojourn at ,berlin ,i was taken to a grand public concert1 and was amazed to the last degree1 upon entering the hall1 to see ,prince ,radziwill performing on the harp6 ,such a thing would be impossible with us4 ,never could an amateur1 especially a prince1 play before any one but his own social circle1 and certainly not before people who paid4 ,i suppose in ,prussia it was quite usual4 ,in ,berlin ,i made the acquaintance of the ,baroness de ,krudener1 so well known for her cleverness and her rhapsodical notions4 ,her renown as an author was already established1 but she had not yet gained the reputation of a religious prophet that made her so famous in the ,north4 ,she and her husband treated me with great civility4 ,i can say the same for ,mme4 de ,souza1 the ,portuguese ,ambassadress1 whose portrait ,i painted at the time4 ,on first arriving at ,berlin ,i called upon the ,french ,ambassador1 ,general ,bournonville1 for ,i was at last beginning to consider a return to ,paris4 ,my friends1 and particularly my brother1 urgently suggested ,i should do so4 ,they had easily had my name taken off the list of exiles1 so that ,i was restablished as a ,frenchwoman1 which1 in spite of all1 ,i had ever remained in my heart4 ,although ,general ,bournonville was the first republican ambassador ,i visited1 ,i had already seen others4 ,toward the end of my stay at ,st4 ,petersburg ,general ,duroc and ,m4 de ,chteaugiron appeared at ,alexander's court as envoys of ,bonaparte1 and ,i remember hearing the ,empress ,elisabeth saying to the ,emperor1 ,when are we to receive the citizens8 ,m4 de ,chteaugiron called upon me4 ,i was as polite as in me lay1 but that tricoloured cockade affected me unspeakably4 ,a few days later they both dined at ,princess ,galitzin's4 ,at table ,i found myself next to ,general ,duroc1 who was said to have been one of ,napoleon's intimates4 ,he addressed not a single word to me1 and ,i did likewise with him4 ,the dinner ,i speak of gave rise to a rather amusing incident4 ,the ,princess's cook1 wholly ignorant of the ,french ,revolution1 naturally took these gentlemen for ambassadors from the ,king of ,france4 ,wishing to honour them1 after much reflection he bethought himself that the lily was the emblem of ,france1 and accordingly arranged his truffles and fillets and sweetmeats in that pattern4 ,this so took the guests aback that the ,princess1 fearing no doubt she was suspected of a bad joke1 called up the cook1 and asked him what all the lilies meant4 ,said the worthy soul with an air of proud satisfaction1 ,i wanted to show ,your ,excellency that ,i knew the proper thing to do on great occasions4 ,a few days before ,i said farewell to ,berlin the ,director-,general of the ,academy of ,painting most courteously came to me in person with my diploma as a member of said ,academy4 ,the many tokens of good-will heaped upon me at the ,prussian capital and court would assuredly have kept me longer had my plans not been definitely fixed4 ,hence1 being resolved to go1 ,i bade good-by to that dear1 kind1 lovely young ,queen1 all unwitting1 alas6 how few years after ,i was to be shocked with the news of her death4 ,illustration3 ,,woman ,,painting4 ,at starting from ,berlin ,i was threatened with the loss of everything ,i owned1 and this is how it happened3 ,my horses were ordered for five o'clock in the morning4 ,my man servant must have gone to make his adieus to some friends1 for he did not appear1 and in ,prussia1 as every one knows1 horses do not wait4 ,i got up and dressed in a thoroughly sleepy condition4 ,meanwhile the porter of my hotel1 not seeing my man1 took my jewel-case downstairs with my remaining effects4 ,this jewel-case1 which contained all my diamonds and other ornaments1 and my cash--my whole fortune1 in fact--,i always had under my feet when travelling4 ,by the greatest luck1 as soon as ,i got into my carriage1 though half asleep1 ,i noticed that my feet were not supported as usual4 ,the horses were just off4 ,i cried out to have them stopped1 and then called to the porter for my jewel-case1 purposely making enough noise to wake the mistress of the house4 ,and ,i was successful1 for1 after some evasions by the porter1 the case was brought out4 ,it had been found in a stable at the back of the yard1 all covered with hay4 ,the incident had given my man time to arrive1 and ,i drove away in high spirits1 as may well be imagined1 at having recovered both my servant and my jewel-case4 ,i record the adventure thinking it may be useful as a lesson to absent-minded travellers4 ,from ,berlin ,i went to ,dresden1 and then on to ,brunswick1 where ,i spent a few days with the ,rivire family4 ,between ,brunswick and ,weimar my postilion lost the way1 and we were stuck for hours in the heaviest soil4 ,i remember that as a truce to my impatience--and more particularly to my appetite--,i gathered up some of that wretched earth and tried to model a head with it2 ,i really achieved something that looked like a face4 ,though furnished with letters for the court at ,weimar1 ,i did not present them1 but after a day's rest proceeded to ,gotha4 ,here ,i met an old friend ,i had known in ,paris1 ,baron ,grimm1 who very civilly attended to all my wants for the journey1 which ,i did not again interrupt until ,i reached ,frankfort4 ,we were obliged to wait at ,frankfort six days1 during which ,i was very much bored4 ,to pass the time ,i mended my old shirts1 and the ,lord knows what sort of sewing that was6 ,on reaching ,paris ,i engaged a chambermaid1 who remarked1 when she saw my mending1 ,any one can see that ,madame has been in a savage country1 for this is sewn like the devil4 ,i laughed and informed her that it was my own handiwork4 ,the poor girl1 quite embarrassed1 was eager to take back what she had said1 but ,i reassured her by acknowledging that ,i had never been an adept with the needle4 ,i will not attempt to describe my feelings at setting foot on the soil of ,france1 from which ,i had been absent twelve years4 ,i was stirred by terror1 grief and joy in turn4 ,i mourned the friends who had died on the scaffold2 but ,i was to see those again who still lived4 ,this ,france1 that ,i was entering once more1 had been the scene of horrible crimes4 ,but this ,france was my country6 ,,chapter ,,xv ,,old ,,friends ,,and ,,new ,,paris ,,after ,,the ,,revolution -- ,,renewing ,,old ,,acquaintances ,,and ,,forming ,,new ,,ties -- ,,rival ,,beauties3 ,,mme4 ,r,,camier ,,and ,,mme4 ,,tallien -- ,,mme4 ,,campan -- ,,an ,,englishwoman',s ,,slip ,,of ,,the ,,tongue -- ,,some ,,distinguished ,,foreigners4 ,on my arrival in ,paris at our house in the ,rue ,gros ,chenet1 ,m4 ,lebrun1 my brother1 my sister-in-law1 and her daughter were awaiting me when ,i alighted from my carriage2 they were all weeping for joy1 and ,i1 too1 was deeply moved4 ,i found the staircase lined with flowers1 and my apartment in complete readiness4 ,the hangings and curtains of my bedroom were in green cloth1 the curtains edged with yellow watered silk4 ,m4 ,lebrun had had a crown of gilt stars put over the bedstead1 the furniture was all convenient and in good taste1 and ,i felt altogether comfortably installed4 ,although ,m4 ,lebrun made me pay dearly enough for all this1 ,i nevertheless appreciated the pains he had taken to make my place of abode agreeable4 ,the house in the ,rue ,gros ,chenet was separated by a garden from a house facing the ,rue de ,clry1 which also belonged to ,m4 ,lebrun4 ,in this second house was a great room where very fine concerts were given4 ,i was taken there the evening of my arrival1 and as soon as ,i entered the place everybody turned in my direction1 the audience clapping their hands1 the musicians rapping on their violins with their bows4 ,i was so touched by this flattering testimony that ,i gave way to tears4 ,i call to mind that ,mme4 ,tallien was at this concert1 radiant with beauty4 ,my first visitor1 next day1 was ,greuze1 whom ,i found unchanged4 ,you would even have said that he had never undressed his hair1 for the same locks waved at each side of his head--just as before my departure4 ,i was grateful for his attention1 and very glad to see him again4 ,after ,greuze came my good friend1 ,mme4 de ,bonneuil1 as pretty as ever2 the dear creature was preserved in a truly wonderful manner4 ,she told me that her daughter1 ,mme4 ,regnault de ,saint-,jean-d',angly1 was to give a ball the following night1 and that ,i must come unfailingly4 ,i answered that ,i had no ball dress1 and then showed her that famous piece of ,indian stuff given me by ,mme4 ,du ,barry1 which had gone through such great adventures since being in my possession4 ,mme4 de ,bonneuil declared it admirable1 and sent it to ,mme4 ,germain1 the celebrated dressmaker1 who immediately made me a fashionable gown1 which she brought me that very evening4 ,so ,i went to ,mme4 ,regnault de ,saint-,jean-d',angly's ball1 and ,i saw the handsomest women of the period1 first among them ,mme4 ,regnault herself1 and next ,mme4 ,visconti1 so remarkable for her beauty of both figure and face4 ,while amusing myself with looking over all these lovely ladies1 some one sitting in front of me turned round4 ,she was so exquisite that ,i could not help exclaiming1 ,oh1 how beautiful you are6 ,it was ,mme4 ,jouberthon1 then portionless1 who afterward married ,lucien ,bonaparte4 ,i also saw a number of ,french generals at this ball4 ,macdonald1 ,marmont and several others were pointed out to me4 ,in fact1 this was a new society4 ,a few days after my return ,mme4 ,bonaparte called upon me one morning4 ,she spoke of the balls at which we had been together before the ,revolution2 she was most cordial1 and even invited me to dinner at the ,first ,consul's4 ,however1 the date of this dinner was never mentioned4 ,my friend ,robert soon paid me a visit1 and so did the ,brongniarts1 and ,mnageot4 ,i was very deeply touched with the joy testified by the friends and acquaintances who crowded to see me every day4 ,but the pleasure of greeting them all was bitterly mingled with sorrow at learning of many deaths ,i was ignorant of1 for not an individual came who had not lost a mother1 a husband1 or some relation4 ,and ,i had another trial to undergo1 worse than all the rest4 ,good manners demanded a visit to my odious stepfather4 ,he still lived at ,neuilly1 in a small house bought by my father1 where ,i had often been in my early youth4 ,everything in the place reminded me of my poor mother and my happy days with her4 ,i found her workbasket just as she had left it4 ,in short1 the visit was the more sad for me as ,i was mournfully inclined4 ,going to ,neuilly1 ,i for the first time recrossed the ,louis ,,xv4 square1 where ,i still seemed to see the blood of a host of noble victims4 ,my brother1 who was with me1 reproached himself for not having made our carriage take a different route1 since ,i was suffering beyond belief4 ,at this very day ,i never pass that square without calling up the horrors it has witnessed--,i cannot control my imagination4 ,the first time ,i went to the play the house looked exceedingly dull to me4 ,accustomed as ,i had been1 in ,france and abroad1 to see every one powdered1 those dark heads and those men in dark clothes made a melancholy picture4 ,you would have thought the audience had assembled to go to a funeral4 ,in general1 ,paris had a less lively appearance to me4 ,the streets seemed so narrow that ,i was tempted to believe double rows of houses had been built4 ,this was no doubt due to my recent impressions of ,st4 ,petersburg and ,berlin1 where the streets1 for the most part1 are very wide4 ,but what displeased me far more was still to see liberty1 fraternity or death written on the walls4 ,these words1 sanctified by the ,terror1 aroused the saddest thoughts in me touching the past1 and inspired me with some fears for the future4 ,i was taken to see a great review by the ,first ,consul in the square of the ,louvre4 ,i stood at a window in the museum1 and recollect that ,i refused to acknowledge the tiny man ,i saw to be ,bonaparte2 the ,duke de ,crillon1 who was beside me1 had all the difficulty in the world to convince me4 ,here1 as in the case of ,catherine ,,ii41 ,i had depicted such a famous man in the shape of a giant4 ,not long after my arrival ,bonaparte's brothers came to view my works2 they were very civil toward me1 and said the most flattering things4 ,lucien1 especially1 inspected my ,sibyl quite minutely1 and proffered me a thousand praises on account of it4 ,my first visits were to my good old friends1 the ,marquise de ,grollier1 ,mme4 de ,verdun and the ,countess d',andlau1 whose two daughters ,i saw at the same time1 ,mme4 de ,rosambeau and ,mme4 d',orglande1 both worthy of their mother in mind and good looks4 ,i likewise went to see ,mme4 de ,sgur4 ,i found her lonely and dejected2 her husband had no post1 and they were living in straitened circumstances4 ,later1 when ,i came back from ,london1 ,bonaparte made the ,count de ,sgur ,master of ,ceremonies1 which gave them an easy life4 ,i remember how1 about this time1 going to see the ,countess ,sgur toward eight in the evening1 and finding her alone1 she said to me3 ,you would scarcely believe ,i have had twenty people to dinner4 ,they all went after the coffee4 ,i was1 indeed1 rather surprised1 because before the ,revolution most of the guests you had to dinner would remain with you until evening1 which ,i thought much more proper than the new method4 ,at the same time ,mme4 de ,sgur invited me to a large musical party at which all the notables of the day came together4 ,here ,i had occasion to observe another innovation1 which seemed to me no better than the first4 ,i was astonished1 when ,i entered the room1 to find all the men on one side and all the women on the other--like hostile forces1 you would have said4 ,not a man came over to our side excepting the master of the house1 the ,count de ,sgur1 impelled by his old habits of gallantry to pay the ladies a few compliments4 ,mme4 de ,canisy was announced1 a very handsome woman1 with the figure of a painter's model4 ,and then we lost our only knight1 for the ,count went to lay himself at the feet of this beauty1 and did not leave her the whole evening4 ,illustration3 ,,mme4 ,,courcelles4 ,i was seated next to ,mme4 de ,bassano1 who had been praised highly to me1 and whom ,i had thus been anxious to see4 ,she seemed very much wrapped up in the diamond monogram given me by the ,queen of ,naples when ,i bade that ,princess farewell4 ,moreover1 considering me probably as an interloper1 since ,i was neither a minister's wife nor a lady of the court1 she spoke not a single word to me1 which did not1 however1 prevent me from looking at her repeatedly and judging her extremely pretty4 ,the first artist ,i went to see was ,m4 ,vien1 who had formerly been created first painter to the ,king1 and whom ,bonaparte had recently nominated ,senator4 ,he was then eighty-two years old4 ,m4 ,vien may be regarded as heading the restoration of the ,french school4 ,after this visit ,i went to ,m4 ,grard's1 already famous for his pictures1 ,belisarius and ,psyche4 ,he had just finished a fine portrait of ,mme4 ,bonaparte reclining on a sofa1 which was to add yet more to his reputation in this style of painting4 ,mme4 ,bonaparte's portrait made me wish to see that which ,grard had done of ,mme4 ,rcamier4 ,so ,i went to that lovely woman's house1 delighted with the chance of making her acquaintance4 ,one woman there was who rivalled ,mme4 ,rcamier in respect of beauty4 ,this was ,mme4 ,tallien4 ,besides her great beauty1 she had great goodness of heart2 in the ,revolution a host of victims condemned to death owed their lives to the influence she exercised upon ,tallien4 ,the rescued ones called her ,our ,lady of ,good ,help4 ,she received me most graciously4 ,later1 after marrying the ,prince de ,chimay1 she inhabited a palatial house at the end of the ,rue de ,babylone1 where she and her husband diverted themselves with giving plays4 ,they both acted very well4 ,she invited me to see one of these pieces1 and came to several of my evening parties4 ,i had the felicity1 too1 at this time1 of knowing ,ducis1 whose admirable character equalled his rare talent4 ,the ease and simplicity of all his ways contrasted so well with the splendid imagination with which ,heaven had gifted him that ,i have never known a more lovable man than this excellent ,ducis4 ,the sole regret of his friends was that they were unable to induce him to settle in ,paris4 ,but he disliked the city1 and the author of ,oedipus and ,othello demanded shepherds and pastures to make his life agreeably consistent4 ,the solitary mode of existence he rejoiced in caused me a surprise1 or rather a fright1 which ,i shall never forget4 ,after my return from ,london ,i went to see him at ,versailles1 whither1 as ,i was aware1 he had retired4 ,it was in the evening2 ,i knocked at his door1 and it was opened to me by ,mme4 ,peyre1 the architect's widow1 candle in hand4 ,i thought she had died long ago1 and ,i uttered a scream4 ,while ,i tried to collect my wits she related how she had lately been married to ,ducis4 ,at last ,i understood1 and composed myself4 ,she led me to her husband1 whom ,i found alone in a little room on the top floor of the house1 buried in books and manuscripts4 ,nothing in this abode seemed to me either pastoral or pleasant1 but by the aid of his imagination ,ducis turned this attic1 which he called his lookout1 into a place of delight4 ,i met ,mme4 ,campan again with much pleasure4 ,she was then playing a somewhat important part in what was soon to become the reigning family4 ,one day she asked me to dinner at ,saint ,germain1 where her boarding-school was established4 ,at table ,i sat near ,mme4 ,murat1 ,napoleon's sister1 but we were so placed that ,i could see only her profile1 particularly as she did not turn her head in my direction4 ,in the evening the young ladies of the school gave us a performance of ,esther1 in which ,mlle4 ,augu1 who afterward married ,marshal ,ney1 enacted the leading rle very well4 ,bonaparte was one of the spectators4 ,he was seated in the first row1 and ,i posted myself in the second1 in a corner1 but near enough to observe him conveniently4 ,though ,i was in a dark spot1 ,mme4 ,campan came to tell me1 between two acts1 that he had guessed who ,i was4 ,i was glad to notice a bust of ,marie ,antoinette in ,mme4 ,campan's room4 ,i felt grateful to her because of this1 and she confided to me that ,bonaparte approved of it1 which ,i thought very proper on his part4 ,it is true that at this period there seemed no need for him to have any fears relating either to the past or the future4 ,his victories evoked enthusiasm from the ,french1 and even from foreigners4 ,he had many admirers among the ,english especially1 and ,i recall one day1 when ,i went to dine with the ,duchess of ,gordon1 she showed me ,bonaparte's portrait1 saying in ,french1 ,there is my zero4 ,as she pronounced ,french very badly1 ,i understood that she meant hero1 and we both laughed heartily over my explanation of zero4 ,the large number of strangers ,i knew in ,paris1 and the desire to dispel an unconquerable melancholy1 prompted me to give some evening parties4 ,princess ,dolgoruki was anxious to meet the ,abb ,delille4 ,so ,i requested his presence at supper with several other people worthy of listening to him4 ,though this charming poet had gone blind1 he had nevertheless kept his cheerfulness of disposition4 ,he recited some of his beautiful lines to us1 and we were all enchanted by them4 ,on another occasion ,i arranged a supper at which all the great personages of the day were present1 and among the ambassadors was ,m4 de ,metternich4 ,then ,i gave a ball1 to which ,mme4 ,hamelin1 ,m4 de ,trnis1 and other renowned dancers came4 ,mme4 ,hamelin was regarded as the best dancer in ,paris society4 ,certainly she was exquisitely graceful and fleet of foot4 ,i remember how1 at this ball1 ,mme4 ,dimidoff danced the ,russian waltz so entrancingly that we stood on our chairs to watch her4 ,having a suitable room in my house on the ,rue ,gros ,chenet1 ,i conceived the idea of putting in a stage and giving plays4 ,the spectators included all persons of distinction4 ,in all these gatherings ,i aimed at paying back the ,russians and ,germans in ,paris a few of the favours they had so thoughtfully and amiably rendered me in their own country4 ,almost every day ,i saw ,princess ,dolgoruki1 who had been such an angel to me in ,st4 ,petersburg4 ,she enjoyed being in ,paris very well4 ,one evening ,i found the ,viscount de ,sgur at her house4 ,i had often seen him before the ,revolution2 he was then young and fashionable1 and made a thousand conquests through his personal graces4 ,when ,i saw him again at the ,princess's his face was expressionless and wrinkled2 he wore a wig with symmetrical curls at each side1 leaving his forehead bald4 ,another twelve years and the wig aged him so that ,i could barely recognise him excepting by his voice4 ,princess ,dolgoruki came to see me the day of her presentation to ,bonaparte4 ,i asked her what she thought of the ,first ,consul's court4 ,it is not a court1 she replied1 but a power4 ,the thing must of course have appeared to her in that light1 being accustomed to the court of ,st4 ,petersburg1 which is so large and brilliant1 whereas at the ,tuileries she found few women and a prodigious number of military men of all grades4 ,among all the amusements that residence in ,paris afforded me1 ,i was none the less pursued by innumerable black thoughts1 which assailed me even in the midst of pleasures4 ,to put an end to such a painful state of mind1 ,i determined to take a journey4 ,more than once1 while ,i was at ,rome1 the newspapers had had it that ,i was at ,london1 but the fact was ,i had never seen that city4 ,accordingly1 ,i resolved to go there4 ,,chapter ,,xvi ,,unmerry ,,england ,,london -- ,,its ,,historic ,,piles -- ,,and ,,dull ,,sundays -- ,,and ,,taciturn ,,people -- ,,pictures ,,by ,,sir ,,joshua ,,reynolds -- ,,his ,,modesty -- ,,how ,,to ,,dry ,,pictures ,,in ,a ,,damp ,,climate -- ,,the ,,artistic ,,view ,,of ,a ,,certain ,,popular ,,beauty -- ,,the ,,prince ,,of ,,wales -- ,,his ,,alleged ,,attentions ,,to ,,mme4 ,,lebrun -- ,,the ,,authoress ,,lectures ,,an ,,unfriendly ,,critic -- ,,news ,,of ,,one ,,of ,,napoleon',s ,,atrocious ,,crimes4 ,i started for ,london on the #aeth of ,april1 #ahjb4 ,i knew not a word of ,english4 ,true1 ,i was accompanied by an ,english maid1 but the girl had long been serving me badly1 and ,i was obliged to dismiss her very shortly after my arrival in ,london1 because she did nothing but eat bread and butter all day4 ,luckily ,i had brought some one besides1 a charming person to whom ill-fortune made the home she had found under my roof very precious4 ,this was my faithful ,adelaide1 who lived with me on the footing of a friend1 and whose attentions and counsels have always been most valuable to me4 ,on disembarking at ,dover ,i was at first somewhat affrighted at the view of a whole population assembled on the shore4 ,but ,i was reassured when informed that the crowd was simply composed of curious idlers1 who were following their usual habits in coming down to see the travellers land4 ,the sun was going down4 ,i at once hired a three-horse chaise1 and made off forthwith1 for ,i was not without apprehensions1 seeing ,i had been told ,i might very likely encounter highwaymen4 ,i took the precaution of putting my diamonds into my stockings1 and was glad ,i had done so when ,i perceived two horsemen advancing toward me at a gallop4 ,what capped the climax of my fears was to see them separate1 in order--as ,i imagined--to present themselves at the two windows of my carriage4 ,i confess ,i was seized with a violent fit of trembling1 but that was the worst that happened4 ,vast and handsome though ,london may be1 that city affords less food for the artist's interest than ,paris or the ,italian towns4 ,not that you do not find a great number of rare works of art in ,england4 ,but most of them are owned by wealthy private persons1 whose country houses and provincial seats they adorn4 ,at the period ,i mention1 ,london had no picture gallery1 that now existing being the result of legacies and gifts to the nation made within a few years4 ,in default of pictures1 ,i went to look at the public edifices4 ,i returned several times to ,westminster ,abbey1 where the tombs of the kings and queens are superb4 ,as they belong to different ages they offer great attractions to artists and fanciers4 ,i admired1 among others1 the tomb of ,mary ,stuart1 in which the remains of that ill-fated ,queen were deposited by her son1 ,james ,i4 ,i spent much time in that part of the church devoted to the sepulture of the great poets1 ,milton1 ,pope1 and ,chatterton4 ,this last-named is known to have poisoned himself while dying of starvation1 and ,i reflected that the money laid out upon rendering him these posthumous honours might have sufficed1 when he was alive1 to insure him comfortable days4 ,st4 ,paul's ,cathedral is also very fine4 ,its dome is an imitation of that of ,st4 ,peter's1 at ,rome4 ,at the ,tower of ,london ,i saw a very interesting collection of armour1 dating from the various centuries4 ,there is a row of royal figures on horseback1 among them ,elizabeth1 mounted on a courser and ready to review her troops4 ,the ,london museum contains a collection of minerals1 birds1 weapons and tools from the ,south ,sea ,islands1 due to the famous ,captain ,cook4 ,the streets of ,london are wide and clean4 ,broad side pavements make them very convenient for foot-passengers1 and one is the more surprised to witness scenes upon them that ought to be proscribed by civilisation4 ,it is not rare to see boxers fighting and wounding each other to the point of drawing blood4 ,far from such a spectacle seeming to shock the people looking on1 they give them glasses of gin to stimulate their zeal4 ,sunday in ,london is as dismal as the climate4 ,not a shop is open2 there are no plays1 nor balls1 nor concerts4 ,universal silence reigns1 and as on that day no one is allowed to work nor even to play music without incurring the risk of having his windows broken by the populace1 there is no resource for killing time but the public walks4 ,these1 indeed1 are very well frequented4 ,the chief amusement of the town is the assembling of good company1 called a rout4 ,two or three hundred individuals walk up and down the rooms1 the women arm-in-arm1 for the men usually keep aside4 ,in this crowd one is pushed and jostled without end1 so that it becomes very fatiguing4 ,but there is nothing to sit on4 ,at one of these routs ,i attended1 an ,englishman ,i knew in ,italy caught sight of me4 ,he came up to me and said1 in the midst of the profound silence that reigns at all these parties1 ,don't you think these gatherings are enjoyable8 ,you enjoy yourselves with what would bore us1 ,i replied4 ,i really did not see what pleasure was to be got out of stifling in such a crowd that you could not even reach your hostess4 ,illustration3 ,,girl ,,with ,,muff4 ,nor are the walks in ,london any livelier4 ,the women walk together on one side1 all dressed in white2 they are so taciturn1 and so perfectly placid1 that they might be taken for perambulating ghosts4 ,the men hold aloof from them1 and behave just as solemnly4 ,i have sometimes come upon a couple1 and have amused myself1 if ,i happened to follow them awhile1 by watching whether they would speak to each other4 ,i never saw any who did4 ,i went to the principal painters1 and was mightily astonished to see that they all had a large room full of portraits with nothing but the heads done4 ,i asked them why they thus exhibited their pictures before finishing them4 ,they all answered that the persons who had posed were satisfied with being seen and mentioned1 and that besides1 the sketch made1 half the price was paid in advance1 when the painter was satisfied1 too4 ,at ,london ,i saw many pictures by the renowned ,reynolds2 their colouring is excellent1 resembling that of ,titian1 but they are mostly unfinished1 except as to the head4 ,i1 however1 admired a ,child ,samuel by him1 whose completeness and colouring both pleased me4 ,reynolds was as modest as he was talented4 ,when my portrait of ,m4 de ,calonne arrived at the ,london custom-house1 ,reynolds1 who had been apprised of the fact1 went to look at it4 ,when the box was opened he stood absorbed in the picture for a long space and praised it warmly4 ,thereupon some nincompoop ejaculated1 ,that must be a fine portrait2 ,mme4 ,lebrun was paid eighty thousand francs for it6 ,i am sure1 replied ,reynolds1 ,i could not do it as well for a hundred thousand4 ,the ,london climate was the despair of this artist because of the difficulty it offers to drying pictures1 and he had invented1 ,i heard1 a way of mixing wax with his colours1 which made them dull4 ,in truth1 the dampness in ,london was such that1 to dry the pictures ,i painted there1 ,i had a fire constantly burning in my studio until the moment ,i went to bed4 ,i would set my pictures at a certain distance from the fireplace1 and often would leave a rout to go and ascertain whether they wanted moving nearer the grate or farther away4 ,this slavery was unavoidable and unendurable4 ,concerts were very much the fashion in ,london1 and ,i preferred them to the routs1 though these afforded an opportunity to the well-received foreigner--and fortunately ,i was one--of meeting all the best ,english society4 ,invitations are not by letter1 as in ,france4 ,only a card is sent1 with the inscription1 ,at home such and such a day4 ,the most fashionable woman in ,london at this time was the ,duchess of ,devonshire4 ,i had often heard of her beauty and her influence in politics1 and when ,i called upon her she greeted me in the most affable style4 ,she might then have been about forty-five years old4 ,her features were very regular1 but ,i was not struck by her beauty4 ,her complexion was too high1 and ill-fortune had ordained that one of her eyes should be blind4 ,as at this period the hair was worn over the forehead1 she concealed the eye under a bunch of curls1 but that was insufficient to hide such a serious defect4 ,the ,duchess of ,devonshire was of fair size1 her degree of stoutness being exactly appropriate to her age1 and her unconstrained manner became her exceedingly well4 ,not long after my arrival in ,london1 the ,treaty of ,amiens was abrogated1 and all ,french who had not lived in ,england over a year were compelled to leave the country at once4 ,the ,prince of ,wales1 to whom ,i was presented1 assured me that ,i was not to be included in this edict1 that he would oppose my expulsion1 and that he would immediately ask his father1 the ,king1 for a permit allowing me to remain4 ,the permit1 stating all necessary particulars1 was granted me4 ,it mentioned that ,i was at liberty to travel anywhere within the kingdom1 that ,i might sojourn wherever ,i pleased1 and also that ,i must be protected in the seaport towns ,i might elect to stop at--a favour which old ,french residents of ,england had great difficulty in securing at this juncture4 ,the ,prince of ,wales went to the limit of politeness by bringing the document to me in person4 ,the ,prince of ,wales might then have been about forty1 but he looked older1 which was to be accounted for by his stoutness4 ,tall and well-built1 he had a handsome face2 his features were all regular and distinguished4 ,he wore a wig very artistically disposed1 the hair parted on the forehead like the ,apollo di ,belvedere's1 and this suited him to perfection4 ,he was proficient in all the bodily exercises1 and spoke ,french very well and with the greatest fluency4 ,he was elaborately elegant--magnificently so1 to the extent of prodigality4 ,at one time he was reputed to have debts to the amount of #cjj1jjj--which were finally paid by his father and ,parliament4 ,as he was one of the handsomest men in the ,united ,kingdom1 he was the idol of the women4 ,it was but a little while before my departure that ,i did his portrait4 ,i painted him at almost full length1 in uniform4 ,several ,english painters became enraged against me on hearing that ,i had begun this picture and that the ,prince allowed me all the time ,i asked to finish it1 for they had long and vainly been waiting for the same concession4 ,i was aware that the ,queen-mother said her son was making love to me1 and that he often came to lunch at my house4 ,never did the ,prince of ,wales enter my door in the forenoon except for his sittings4 ,as soon as his likeness was done the ,prince gave it to ,mme4 ,fitzherbert4 ,she had it put in a rolling frame1 like a large bedroom mirror1 so as to move it into any of her rooms--something which ,i thought highly ingenious4 ,the anger of the ,english artists toward me did not stop at talk4 ,a certain ,m4 ----1 a portrait painter1 published a work in which he vehemently belittled ,french painting in general and my own in particular4 ,sundry parts of the book were translated to me1 and they appeared so unjust and absurd that ,i could not help springing to the defense of the famous painters whose countrywoman ,i was4 ,accordingly1 ,i wrote to this ,m4 ---- as follows3 ,sir3 ,i understand that in your work on painting you speak of the ,french school4 ,as1 from what is reported to me concerning your remarks1 ,i gather that you have not the least idea of that school1 ,i think ,i must give you some information that you may find serviceable4 ,i presume1 in the first place1 that you do not attack the great artists who lived in the reign of ,louis ,,xiv41 such as ,lebrun1 ,lesueur1 ,simon ,vouet1 etc41 and ,rigaud1 ,mignard1 and ,largillire1 the portrait painters4 ,as for the artists of the day1 you do the ,french school the greatest injustice in rating it by its achievements of thirty years ago4 ,since then it has made enormous strides in a branch totally different from that signalising its decline4 ,not1 however1 that the man who ruined it was not gifted with a very superior talent4 ,boucher was a born colourist4 ,he had discrimination in composing and good taste in the choice of his figures4 ,but of a sudden he stopped working except for the dainty chambers of women1 when his colouring became insipid1 his style affected2 and1 this example once set1 all painters tried to follow it4 ,his defects were carried to the extreme1 as always happens2 things went from bad to worse1 and art seemed irretrievably destroyed4 ,then came an able painter1 called ,vien1 whose style was simple and severe4 ,he was appreciated by true art-lovers1 and regenerated our school4 ,we have since produced ,david1 young ,louis ,drouais--who died at ,rome1 aged twenty-five1 just as he seemed to give promise of becoming a second ,raphael--,grard1 ,gros1 ,girodet1 ,gurin1 and a number of others ,i might cite4 ,it is not surprising that after criticising the works of ,david1 which you evidently do not know at all1 you do me the honour of criticising mine1 which you know no better4 ,being ignorant of the ,english language1 ,i had not been able to read what you wrote about my painting1 and when ,i was told1 without being given the particulars1 that you had abused me soundly1 ,i answered that1 however much you might disparage my pictures1 all the worst you could say of them would be less than ,i think4 ,i do not suppose that any artist imagines he has attained perfection1 and1 far from any such presumption on my part1 ,i have never yet been quite satisfied with any work of mine4 ,nevertheless1 being now more fully informed1 and knowing that your criticism bears principally on a point that appears important to me1 ,i believe my duty is to repudiate it in the interest of art4 ,patience1 the only merit you allow me1 is unfortunately not one of the virtues of my character4 ,only1 it is true that ,i am loath to leave my work4 ,i consider it is never complete enough1 and1 in the fear of leaving it too imperfect1 my conscience makes me think about it a long time and touch it up repeatedly4 ,it seems that my lace shocks you1 although ,i have painted none for fifteen years4 ,i vastly prefer scarfs1 which you1 sir1 would do well yourself to employ4 ,scarfs1 you may believe me1 are a boon to painters1 and had you used them you would have acquired good taste in draping1 in which you are deficient4 ,as for those stuffs1 those eloquent cushions1 those velvets1 to be seen in my shop1 it is my opinion that one should pay as much attention as possible to all such accessories4 ,on this point ,i have ,raphael as an authority1 who never neglected anything of this kind1 who wished everything to be explicit1 to be rendered minutely--that is the language of art--even to the smallest flowers in the grass4 ,i can1 furthermore1 quote the example of ancient sculpture1 in which not the most trifling accessories are found neglected3 the draped scarfs which lie so snugly upon nude figures1 and of which mere fragments are bought by real fanciers to-day1 the ornamentation on breastplates1 the buskins--all that is carried out with perfect finish4 ,and now1 sir1 allow me to remark that the word shop1 which term you apply to my studio1 is scarcely worthy of an artist4 ,i show my pictures without having money asked at the door4 ,i have even1 to avoid that practise then in vogue among the painters of ,london1 set aside one day each week for persons of good standing and such persons as these may see fit to present to me4 ,i may1 therefore1 beg you to observe that the word shop is improper1 and that severity never excuses a man from being polite4 ,i have the honour to be1 etc4 ,this letter1 which ,i read to some friends1 remained no secret to ,london society1 and the laugh was not on the side of ,m4 ----1 who1 all enmity aside1 did not know how to do drapings4 ,i met a number of compatriots in ,england whom ,i had known for years4 ,i had the felicity of meeting the ,count d',artois once more1 at a party given by ,lady ,percival1 who received a number of exiles4 ,he had grown stouter1 and ,i really thought him very handsome4 ,a few days later he honoured me by coming to see my studio4 ,i was out1 and ,i only returned just as he was going away4 ,but he was good enough to come back and compliment me upon my portrait of the ,prince of ,wales1 with which he seemed highly pleased4 ,the ,count d',artois did not go out much into society4 ,having but a modest income1 he yet saved money1 with which he helped the poorest of the ,french4 ,his goodness of heart incited him to sacrifice all his pleasures for charitable purposes4 ,illustration3 ,,madame ,,vig,e ,,lebrun4 ,this ,prince's son1 the ,duke de ,berri1 often came to see me of a morning4 ,he sometimes appeared with small pictures under his arm1 which he had bought at a very low price4 ,what proves how good a judge of painting he was is that these pictures were splendid ,wouvermans4 ,but it needed a very fine feeling to detect their merit under the grime that covered them4 ,the ,duke de ,berri also had a passion for music4 ,i was at the play in ,london when the murder of the ,duke d',enghien was announced4 ,hardly had the news spread through the theatre1 when all the women in the boxes turned their backs to the stage1 and the piece would not have gone on if somebody had not come in to state the report a false one4 ,we then all resumed our seats1 and the play continued1 but as we went out it was1 alas6 all confirmed4 ,we even learned some particulars of this atrocious crime1 which will always leave a terrible blood-stain on ,napoleon's career4 ,next day we attended the funeral mass celebrated for the noble victim4 ,all of the ,french1 our ,princes included1 and a large number of ,english ladies were present4 ,the ,abb de ,bouvant gave a most touching discourse on the lot of the unhappy ,duke d',enghien4 ,the sermon ended with an invocation to the ,almighty to spare our dear ,princes from a like fate4 ,alas6 the prayer was not heard1 for we lived to see the ,duke de ,berri fall by the dagger of a dastardly assassin4 ,,chapter ,,xvii ,,persons ,,and ,,places ,,in ,,britain ,,english ,,palaces -- ,,and ,,scenery -- ,,suburban ,,princes -- ,,richmond ,,terrace -- ,,an ,,eccentric ,,margravine -- ,,the ,,charm ,,of ,,the ,,isle ,,of ,,wight -- ,,the ,,britons ,a ,,stolid ,,nation -- ,,their ,,indifference ,,to ,,rain4 ,although the kind treatment ,i received induced me to stay three years in ,london1 whereas ,i had intended to pass but three months1 the climate of that town seemed very melancholy to me4 ,it even disagreed with my health1 and ,i seized every opportunity to take a breath of pure air in the lovely vales and dales of ,england1 where ,i could at least see some sunlight4 ,i began1 shortly after my arrival1 by spending a fortnight with ,mme4 ,chinnery at ,gillwell1 where ,i found the celebrated ,viotti4 ,the house was most luxurious1 and ,i was given a charming welcome4 ,on reaching the place ,i saw that the gate was garlanded with flowery wreaths twined about the pillars4 ,on the staircase1 similarly decorated1 stood at intervals little marble cupids1 holding vases filled with roses4 ,in short1 it was a springtime fairy pageant4 ,so soon as ,i had entered the drawing-room1 two little angels1 ,mme4 ,chinnery's son and daughter1 sang a delicious piece of music to me1 composed for me by that good-natured ,viotti4 ,i was truly touched by this affectionate greeting2 indeed1 the fortnight ,i spent at ,gillwell were days of joy and gladness4 ,mme4 ,chinnery was a beautiful woman1 with much mental subtlety and charm4 ,her daughter1 then fourteen years of age1 played the piano astonishingly1 so that every evening this young girl1 ,viotti1 and ,mme4 ,chinnery1 herself an excellent musician1 gave us a delightful concert4 ,i recollect that my hostess's son1 though yet a child1 had a veritable passion for study4 ,he could not be made to lay his books aside4 ,when his hours of recreation came1 and ,i told him to go out and play with his sister1 he would reply1 ,i am playing4 ,at the age of eighteen the young man had already earned so much credit that at the ,restoration he was charged with reviewing all the accounts of the expenditure occasioned by the stay of the ,english army in ,france4 ,i was not tardy in making other excursions to the surroundings of ,london1 and these excursions absorbed all the time ,i could spare for pleasure4 ,at ,windsor1 the royal residence1 ,i admired only the park1 which is very fine4 ,the ,king enjoyed walking on a splendid terrace1 whence a magnificent and extensive view is to be got4 ,hampton ,court is another royal castle4 ,here ,i saw superb stained-glass windows1 which are very old1 and which ,i thought superior to any ,i had seen hitherto4 ,i also found some grand pictures and some large cartoons1 done by ,raphael1 which ,i could not admire enough4 ,the cartoons were on the floor1 so that ,i knelt before them such a long time that the custodian was surprised4 ,in the galleries ,i was shown armour and weapons dating back to remote ages2 then1 in the gardens1 gorgeous yellow rose-bushes1 and finally a gigantic vine1 enclosed in a hothouse1 that in some year or other yielded #a1ejj pounds of grapes4 ,i went with ,prince ,bariatinski and a few other ,russians to pay a visit to the famous ,doctor ,herschel4 ,this renowned astronomer lived in strict seclusion at some distance from ,london4 ,his sister1 who was always with him1 aided him in his astronomical researches1 and one was fully worthy of the other1 both in learning and noble simplicity4 ,near the staircase we found a telescope almost large enough to walk about in4 ,the ,doctor greeted us with the warmest cordiality4 ,he was obliging enough to let us see the sun through a dark glass1 pointing out the two spots discernible upon it1 one of which is considerable in size4 ,at night he showed us the planet he had discovered that bears his name4 ,we also inspected at his house a chart of the moon1 very detailed1 with the mountains1 ravines and rivers represented which make that planet resemble the globe we inhabit4 ,in fact1 the whole stretch of our visit went by without a dull moment2 my ,russian companions1 ,adelaide and myself were all delighted with it4 ,one cannot speak about the environs of ,london without calling to mind several fine ,english watering-places4 ,matlock1 for instance1 offers the precise aspect of a ,swiss landscape4 ,on one side of the promenade are highly effective rocks1 grown with variegated shrubs1 and on the other rich meadows4 ,this ,english vegetation is truly lovely2 it all presents an enchanting view to the eye of those who love nature's beauty4 ,i remember following the bank of a stream so dainty and limpid that ,i could not tear myself away from it4 ,tunbridge ,wells1 where one also takes the waters1 is likewise a very picturesque place4 ,it is true that although one may enjoy the morning rambles in the beautiful neighbourhood1 in the evenings one is much wearied by the social gatherings1 which are quite numerous4 ,people came together for meals1 and after supper1 as after dinner1 every one would rise and sing ,god ,save the ,king1 a prayer for ,his ,majesty1 which moved me to tears through the sad comparison it prompted me to make between ,england and ,france4 ,brighton was still better known than either ,tunbridge ,wells or ,matlock4 ,brighton1 where the ,prince of ,wales had then taken up his residence1 is a rather pretty town opposite ,dieppe1 with the shores of ,france visible4 ,at the time ,i was there the ,english feared a descent by the ,french4 ,the generals were perpetually reviewing the militia1 who were forever marching about with drums beating1 making an infernal din4 ,i took some delightful walks at ,brighton by the seashore4 ,one day ,i witnessed a singular phenomenon2 the fog was so thick that the ships off the coast looked as if they were suspended in the air4 ,i spent a few days at ,knowles ,castle1 which1 after once belonging to ,queen ,elizabeth1 is now the property of ,lady ,dorset4 ,at the gate of this castle ,i saw two huge elm trees1 reported to be more than #a1jjj years old1 which1 nevertheless1 still bore leaves1 especially at the top4 ,the park1 whose boundary touches a forest1 is remarkably picturesque4 ,the castle contains some very fine pictures2 the furniture is still the same as in the day of ,elisabeth4 ,in ,lady ,dorset's sleeping apartment the curtains of the bed are all sprinkled with gold and silver stars1 and the dressing-table is of solid silver4 ,lady ,dorset1 an extremely wealthy lady1 had married ,sir ,a4 ,wilford1 whom ,i had known as ,english ,ambassador at ,st4 ,petersburg4 ,he had no fortune1 but was a fine figure of a man1 with noble and distinguished mien4 ,the first time we all met for dinner ,lady ,dorset said to me3 ,you will be very much bored1 as we never talk at table4 ,i reassured her upon this point4 ,i told her this was also my own habit1 having for years nearly always eaten alone4 ,she must have been enormously fond of this custom of hers1 for at dessert her son1 eleven or twelve years old1 came in1 and she hardly spoke to him2 she finally sent him away without giving him the least sign of affection4 ,i could not help thinking of the reputation ,englishwomen bear3 that usually1 when their children are grown up1 they care little about them--which has been taken to mean that they love only their little ones4 ,at ,london ,i renewed acquaintance with the amiable ,count de ,vaudreuil4 ,i found him greatly changed and fallen off1 through all that he had suffered for ,france4 ,he had married his niece in ,england1 and ,i went to see her at ,twickenham1 where she was settled4 ,the ,countess de ,vaudreuil was young and pretty4 ,she had exquisite blue eyes1 a sweet face1 and the most striking freshness4 ,her invitation to pass a few days at ,twickenham ,i accepted1 and while there ,i did a portrait of her two sons4 ,his ,highness the ,duke d',orlans lived near-by2 the ,count de ,vaudreuil1 whom the ,duke d',orlans had shown special marks of favour1 took me to see him4 ,we found that prince1 whose chief delight was his studies1 seated at a long table covered with books1 one of them lying open before him4 ,during the visit he pointed out to me a landscape painted by his brother1 the ,duke de ,montpensier1 whose acquaintance ,i also made while staying with ,mme4 de ,vaudreuil4 ,as for the youngest of these princes1 the ,duke de ,beaujolais1 ,i only met him out walking2 he seemed to have a passably good face and to be very lively4 ,the ,duke de ,montpensier sometimes came for me1 and we would go out sketching together4 ,he took me to the terrace at ,richmond1 whence the view is magnificent4 ,from that eminence you survey a considerable part of the river's course4 ,we also went over the lovely meadow where the trunk of the tree under which ,milton sat may still be seen4 ,it was there1 so ,i was informed1 that he composed his poem of ,paradise ,lost4 ,altogether1 the surroundings of ,twickenham were highly interesting2 the ,duke de ,montpensier knew them to perfection1 and ,i congratulated myself on having him for my guide1 the more as this young prince was exceedingly kind and sympathetic4 ,i had engaged to paint a portrait of the ,margravine of ,anspach1 who asked me to stay with her for a few days in the country so that ,i might redeem my promise4 ,as ,i had heard that the ,margravine was an eccentric woman1 who would not allow me a moment's peace1 would have me waked at five every morning1 and do a thousand equally intolerable things1 ,i accepted her invitation only after stipulating certain terms4 ,first ,i requested a room where ,i should hear no noises1 on the ground that ,i wished to get up late4 ,then ,i warned her that in case we went driving anywhere ,i never talked in a carriage1 and that ,i preferred walking alone4 ,the good lady agreed to everything and kept her word religiously4 ,if ,i accidentally came upon her in her park1 where she would often be working like a day-labourer1 she pretended not to see me1 and let me pass without opening her mouth4 ,perhaps the ,margravine of ,anspach had been slandered1 or perhaps she was obliging enough to put constraint upon herself for my sake2 at all events1 ,i felt so much at ease while under her roof that1 when ,i was bidden to another country-place belonging to her1 called ,blenheim1 ,i went without hesitation4 ,there the park and the house were far better than at ,armesmott1 and the time went by in a most agreeable manner4 ,charming evening parties1 plays1 music--nothing lacked2 indeed1 though pledged to stay but one week1 ,i remained1 instead1 three4 ,i made some expeditions on the water with the ,margravine4 ,on one occasion we landed at the ,isle of ,wight1 which stands high on a rock1 and reminds one of ,switzerland4 ,this island is noted for the mild and gentle ways of its inhabitants4 ,they all live together1 ,i was told1 like a single family1 enjoying perfect peace and happiness4 ,possibly now1 since a large number of regiments have been in the island1 it is no longer the same in respect to the quiet life1 but it is a fact that at the time of my visit all the population were well-dressed1 civil and benevolent4 ,besides the suavity ,i observed in the people1 the scenery was so entrancing that ,i should have liked to spend my life in that beautiful spot4 ,only the ,isle of ,wight1 and ,ischia1 near ,naples1 have ever made me feel such a desire4 ,i also went to ,lord ,moira's country seat4 ,although ,i have forgotten the name of his house1 ,i remember how comfortable everything was and what wonderful cleanliness prevailed all over4 ,lord ,moira's sister1 ,lady ,charlotte1 kind and courteous1 did the honours with infinite tact4 ,it was1 therefore1 unfortunate that the place bored one4 ,at dinner the women left the table before dessert2 the men remained to drink and talk politics4 ,i can truthfully state1 however1 that at no gathering ,i attended did the men get drunk4 ,this convinces me that1 if the custom ever existed in ,england1 it has now ceased as far as good society is concerned4 ,i may also remark that ,i dined several times at ,lord ,moira's with the ,duke de ,berri1 and that the ,duke never took anything else than water1 far from drinking too much wine1 as has since been alleged4 ,after dinner we met together in a large hall1 where the women sat apart1 occupied with embroidery or tapestry-work1 and not uttering a sound4 ,the men1 on their side1 took books to hand1 and observed like silence4 ,one evening ,i asked ,lord ,moira's sister1 since the moon was shining brightly1 whether we might not walk in the park4 ,she replied that the shutters were closed and that caution demanded they should not be reopened1 because the picture-gallery was on the ground floor4 ,as the library contained collections of prints1 my only resource was to seize upon these collections and go through them1 abstaining1 in obedience to the general example1 from a single word of speech4 ,in the midst of such a taciturn company1 fancying myself alone one day1 ,i happened to make an exclamation on coming to a handsome print1 which astonished all the rest to the last degree4 ,it is1 nevertheless1 a fact that the total absence of conversation does not preclude the possibility of pleasant chat in ,england4 ,i know a number of ,english who are extremely bright2 ,i may even add that ,i never encountered one who was stupid4 ,the season was too far advanced when ,i was at ,lord ,moira's to allow of my taking long walks4 ,lady ,charlotte proposed to go driving with me1 but she went in a sort of cariole as hard as a cart1 which ,i could only endure for a short while4 ,the ,english are used to braving their weather4 ,i often met them in the pouring rain1 riding without umbrellas in open carriages4 ,they are satisfied with wrapping their cloaks about them1 but this has its drawbacks for strangers unaccustomed to such a watery state of things4 ,homeward bound in these ,english drives1 ,i would sometimes stop on a hill four or five miles from ,london1 hoping for a view of that stupendous city1 but the fog lying upon it was always so thick that ,i never was able to distinguish anything but the tips of its spires4 ,,chapter ,,xviii ,,bonapartes ,,and ,,bourbons ,,back ,,in ,,paris -- ,,the ,,devotion ,,of ,,mme4 ,,grassini -- ,,capricious1 ,,exacting ,,mme4 ,,murat -- ,,aspects ,,of ,,christian ,,warfare -- ,,kill ,,all ,,those ,,people6 ,,louis ,,xviii4 ,,enters ,,the ,,capital -- ,,the ,,barrenness ,,of ,,napoleon',s ,,victories -- ,,his ,,successor',s ,,attainments -- ,,bourbon ,,characteristics -- ,,the ,,authoress ,,loses ,,her ,,husband1 ,,daughter ,,and ,,brother -- ,,conclusion4 ,although ,i had come to ,england with the intention of remaining but five or six months1 ,i had now stayed nearly three years1 held1 not solely by my interests as a painter1 but also by the kind treatment bestowed upon me4 ,i have often heard it said that the ,english are lacking in hospitality1 but ,i am far from sharing that opinion1 and harbour grateful memories of the cordiality ,i met with in ,london4 ,though receiving more social invitations than ,i could possibly accept1 ,i nevertheless succeeded--and this was said to be very difficult--in forming an intimate circle to my taste4 ,i achieved it through allying myself with ,lady ,bentinck and her sister1 the ,villiers young ladies1 ,mme4 ,anderson1 and ,lord ,trimlestown1 who1 an accomplished amateur in the arts1 cultivates painting and literature with taste and talent1 and who1 now in ,paris1 keeps his friendship for me4 ,i should1 therefore1 not have decided to return to ,france so soon had ,i not learned that my daughter had arrived at ,paris4 ,i keenly longed to see her again1 the more as ,i was secretly informed that her father allowed her to form connections that to me seemed improper for a young woman1 and hence ,i hastened my departure4 ,it surely needed a deep motive to resist the appeals which friends and even acquaintances were kind enough to make4 ,as at this period ,bonaparte1 who had proclaimed himself ,emperor1 prohibited all ,english people in ,france1 after the rupture of the ,peace of ,amiens1 from leaving1 ,lady ,herne1 well known for her artistic proclivities1 said that ,i ought to be kept back as a hostage4 ,at the moment ,i was to get into the post-chaise that was to convey me to the inn near my place of embarkation1 the charming ,mme4 ,grassini appeared on the scene4 ,i thought she had simply come to bid me farewell1 but she declared she wished to take me to the inn1 and made me get into her carriage1 which ,i found full of pillows and packages4 ,what is all this for8 ,i inquired4 ,you are not aware1 then1 she replied1 that you are going to the worst inn of the world8 ,you may have to wait there a week or more if the wind is not favourable1 and ,i have made up my mind to stay with you4 ,i can hardly say how moved ,i was at this token of affection4 ,the beautiful woman was leaving the pleasures of ,london and her friends1 to say nothing of the host of admirers always in her train1 merely to keep me company4 ,to me this seemed lovable1 and ,i have never forgotten it4 ,it was a great joy to me to see my friends once more1 and especially my daughter4 ,her husband1 whom she had accompanied to ,france1 was charged by ,prince ,narischkin with the mission of engaging musical artists for ,st4 ,petersburg4 ,he left a few months later1 but alone--for love1 alas6 had long since vanished--and my daughter remained1 to my great satisfaction4 ,to her misfortune and mine1 my child had a very quick temper2 besides1 ,i had not been able to instil into her completely my own distaste for bad company4 ,add to this that--whether through my own fault or not--her power over my mind was great1 and ,i had none over hers1 and it will be understood how she sometimes made me shed bitter tears4 ,still1 she was my daughter4 ,her beauty1 her gifts1 her cleverness rendered her as fascinating as possible1 and1 though ,i mourned because ,i could not persuade her to come to live with me1 since she persisted in seeing certain people ,i would not receive1 ,i at any rate saw her every day1 and that in itself was a great blessing4 ,one evening ,i arranged some living pictures of a kind which had won warm approval in ,st4 ,petersburg1 and1 being careful to place behind the gauze none but handsome men and pretty women1 the result was charming4 ,another day ,i painted on a screen several head-dresses of historic characters1 making holes under them for the insertion of a face4 ,the conversation passing with those who put in their heads amused us vastly4 ,robert1 who took part in all our gaieties like a schoolboy1 put his face under ,ninon's head-dress1 which made us laugh like mad4 ,all these particulars may seem childish to-day1 when evening parties are taken up with talking politics or playing cards1 but some of us had not yet lost the habit of enjoying ourselves1 and the fact is1 we enjoyed ourselves very much4 ,after all1 these pleasures were well worth the cards of ,parisian and the stifling routs of ,london drawing-rooms4 ,one of the first people ,i met1 upon my return from ,london1 was ,mme4 de ,sgur1 and ,i frequently went to see her4 ,one day her husband told me that my journey to ,england had displeased the ,emperor1 who had curtly remarked1 ,mme4 ,lebrun went to see her friends4 ,but ,bonaparte's resentment against me could not have been violent1 since1 a few days after speaking thus1 he sent ,m4 ,denon to me with an order to paint his sister1 ,mme4 ,murat4 ,i thought ,i could not refuse1 although ,i was only to be paid #a1hjj francs--that is to say1 less than half of what ,i usually asked for portraits of the same size4 ,this sum was the more moderate1 too1 because1 for the sake of satisfying myself as to the composition of the picture1 ,i painted ,mme4 ,murat's pretty little girl beside her1 and that without raising the price4 ,illustration3 ,,genevi,,ve ,,ad,,la,,de ,,helvetius1 ,,countess ,d',,andlau4 ,i could not conceivably describe all the annoyances1 all the torments ,i underwent in painting this picture4 ,to begin with1 at the first sitting1 ,mme4 ,murat brought two lady's maids1 who were to do her hair while ,i was painting her4 ,however1 upon my remark that ,i could not under such circumstances do justice to her features1 she vouchsafed to send her servants away4 ,then she perpetually failed to keep the appointments she made with me1 so that1 in my desire to finish1 ,i was kept in ,paris nearly the whole summer1 as a rule waiting for her in vain1 which angered me unspeakably4 ,moreover1 the intervals between the sittings were so long that she sometimes changed her mode of doing her hair4 ,in the beginning1 for instance1 she wore curls hanging over her cheeks1 and ,i painted them accordingly2 but some time after1 this having gone out of fashion1 she came back with her hair dressed in a totally different manner1 so that ,i was forced to scrape off the hair ,i had painted on the face1 and was likewise compelled to blot out a brow-band of pearls and put cameos in its place4 ,the same thing happened with her dress4 ,one ,i had painted at first was cut rather open1 as dresses were then so worn1 and furnished with wide embroidering4 ,the fashion having changed1 ,i was obliged to close in the dress and do the embroidering anew4 ,all the annoyances that ,mme4 ,murat subjected me to at last put me so much out of temper that one day1 when she was in my studio1 ,i said to ,m4 ,denon1 loudly enough for her to hear1 ,i have painted real princesses who never worried me1 and never made me wait4 ,the fact is1 ,mme4 ,murat was unaware that punctuality is the politeness of kings1 as ,louis ,,xiv4 so well said4 ,delivered of the vexations arising from ,mme4 ,murat's portrait1 ,i resumed the peaceful life ,i was accustomed to1 but my desire for travel was not yet stilled3 ,i had never seen ,switzerland4 ,i therefore resolved to leave ,paris once more1 and soon was making for the mountains4 ,in the period succeeding my ,swiss travels ,i at length acquired an inclination for rest4 ,this1 together with a taste ,i had always had for the country1 prompted me to leave for ,louveciennes before the breaking of the first buds1 and consequently ,i was established there by the time the allies were making their second descent upon ,paris4 ,it is well known that the villages fared much worse than the towns at the hands of the foreign troops4 ,i shall never forget the night of ,march #ca1 #ahad4 ,ignorant that danger was so near1 ,i had not as yet considered flight4 ,it was eleven o'clock in the evening1 and ,i had just gone to bed1 when ,joseph1 my ,swiss man servant1 who spoke ,german1 entered my room1 in the belief that ,i should need protection4 ,the village was being invaded by the ,prussians1 who were sacking all the houses1 and ,joseph was followed by three soldiers with villainous faces1 who approached my bed with brandished swords4 ,joseph tried to fool them by saying in ,german that ,i was ,swiss and an invalid4 ,but paying no attention to him1 they began by taking my gold snuff-box1 which was on my night-stand4 ,then they felt under my quilt1 to find out whether ,i had any money concealed1 one of them calmly slicing off a piece of the quilt with his sword4 ,another1 who seemed to be ,french1 or at least spoke our language perfectly1 said1 ,give her back the box2 but far from acceding1 his companions went to my desk and seized upon everything it contained4 ,afterward1 the soldiers pillaged my cupboards4 ,at last1 after putting me through four hours of mortal fright1 these terrible people quit my house4 ,nor was this my only experience of the kind4 ,with the return of the foreigners in #ahae1 some ,english came to ,louveciennes4 ,they robbed me of a number of articles1 among them a magnificent large lacquer box that ,i sorely regretted losing1 since it had been given me in ,st4 ,petersburg by my old friend1 ,count ,strogonoff4 ,after the nocturnal visit by the ,prussians ,i wanted to go to ,saint ,germain1 but the road was not safe enough1 so ,i took refuge with a good person living at ,marly1 near ,mme4 ,du ,barry's pavilion4 ,other women1 frightened like myself1 had already chosen this place4 ,we all dined together and slept six in a room--as far as sleep was possible4 ,the nights went by with continual alarms1 and ,i felt the liveliest anxiety for my poor servant1 to whom ,i owed my life4 ,the faithful fellow had insisted on staying in my house to hold the soldiers in check4 ,i had the greatest fears on his account1 as the village was entirely given up to plunder4 ,the peasants camped in the vineyards and slept on straw in the open air1 after being robbed of all their possessions4 ,several of them sought us out1 lamenting their misfortunes1 and these mournful tales were recited in ,mme4 ,du ,barry's splendid garden1 near the ,temple of ,love1 amid flowers and under the brightest of skies6 ,i was so appalled by their stories and by the incessant cannonading and fusillading that one evening ,i attempted to go down into a cellar and stay there4 ,but ,i hurt my leg1 and was obliged to come up again4 ,the last affair happened at ,roquencourt4 ,there was also fighting near ,mme4 ,hocquart's house1 very near the place where ,i was4 ,we learned that after the combat the ,prussians had sacked from top to bottom the house of a very ,bonapartist lady1 who during the fighting screamed from her terrace to the ,french1 ,kill all those people6 ,the victors1 having heard her1 broke into the house1 and smashed all the mirrors and the furniture as well1 while the lady1 in her chemise and without shoes1 was fleeing to ,versailles1 where she found shelter4 ,ultimately1 ,louis ,,xviii4 entered ,paris1 ready to forgive and forget4 ,i went to see him pass on the ,quai des ,orfvres4 ,he was in a carriage1 seated beside the ,duchess d',angoulme4 ,the constitution he had announced had been greeted with joyful acclamation2 the delight of the people was great and universal4 ,flags hung from all the windows on the line of march4 ,cries of ,long live the ,king6 rose to the skies1 and were so loud and heartfelt that ,i was moved beyond anything ,i can say4 ,in the ,duchess d',angoulme's face was to be read in turn her pleasure at such a welcome and the painful memories assailing her4 ,her smile was sweet but sad--a most natural thing1 because she was following the road her mother had followed in going to execution1 and she knew it4 ,however1 the exultation evoked by the ,king's appearance and hers went far to console that afflicted heart4 ,the plaudits pursued them to the ,tuileries1 where the crowds filling the gardens gave vent to the same transports4 ,they sang1 they danced in front of the palace1 and when the ,king showed himself at the window of the large balcony and kissed his hands over and over again to the people1 their joy knew no bounds4 ,that evening there was a grand court reception at the ,tuileries2 an immense number of women attended4 ,the ,king spoke to them all most graciously and to some of them even recalled various incidents creditable to their families4 ,possessed of an extreme desire to get a close view of ,louis ,,xviii41 ,i mingled with the crowd that gathered on ,sunday in the corridor to see him go by on his way to mass4 ,i was opposite the windows1 with the rest1 so that the ,king could easily distinguish me4 ,when he did1 he stepped over to me1 gave me his hand in the most affable manner1 and said a thousand flattering things about the pleasure he felt in meeting me once more4 ,as he remained thus holding my hand for several moments and addressing none of the other women1 the onlookers must no doubt have taken me for a very great lady1 because1 no sooner had the ,king passed than a young officer1 seeing that ,i was alone1 offered me his arm1 and would not leave me until he had escorted me to my carriage4 ,most of the people who came back with our ,princes were either friends or acquaintances of mine4 ,it was very sweet1 after all those years of exile1 to meet again in the country of our birth4 ,but1 alas6 ,this happiness endured only a few months1 for1 while we were rejoicing at our lot1 ,bonaparte was landing at ,cannes4 ,at midnight1 on the #aith of ,march1 #ahae1 ,louis ,,xviii4 and the whole royal family left ,paris4 ,napoleon entered the next day1 at eight of the evening1 resuming possession of the ,tuileries1 the troops filling the courtyards1 giving our ,princes' palace the aspect of a castle taken by assault4 ,without offense to the memory of a great captain and the brave generals and soldiers who helped him to win such fine victories1 one may well ask what ,bonaparte's victories have led to1 and whether an inch of the ground remains to us that cost us so much blood4 ,what proves how tired the people were of those eternal wars was their lack of enthusiasm during the ,hundred ,days4 ,the ,king returned to ,paris on the #hth of ,july1 #ahae1 amid almost unanimous rejoicings1 since1 after all our misfortunes1 ,louis ,,xviii4 brought back peace4 ,henceforth it was seen how this ,prince combined wisdom and ability with his more brilliant mental qualities4 ,times were critical1 and ,louis ,,xviii4 was assuredly the ruler to suit the period4 ,with much courage and coolness he united elevation of soul and great subtlety of mind2 all his ways were royal4 ,he gave readily and liberally2 he was fond of patronising art and letters1 which he himself cultivated2 his features were by no means devoid of beauty1 and so noble was their expression that1 infirm though he was1 the first sight of him called forth involuntary respect4 ,his favourite recreation was talking about literature with clever people4 ,in his youth he had written very pretty verses1 and his style was that of an accomplished man of letters4 ,knowing ,latin perfectly1 he liked to converse in that language with our most learned ,latinists4 ,his memory was prodigious2 he could always repeat the most striking passages of a book read rapidly1 of a piece seen once4 ,ducis1 who before the ,revolution had occupied a post in ,monsieur's household1 came out from his retreat at ,versailles to present his homage to the ,king4 ,louis at once recognised him1 welcomed him warmly1 and recited the best lines of his ,oedipus1 scarcely remembered by the aged author4 ,his ,majesty was himself the author of several political writings and an account of a ,journey to ,coblentz4 ,there are also attributed to him the text of the opera ,the ,caravan and ,the ,lutenist of ,lbeck1 a prose play in one act1 given at the ,thtre ,franais4 ,he had a strong attachment for the ,thtre ,franais4 ,he often went to that playhouse1 and especially admired the acting of ,talma4 ,whenever that great actor1 happening to be on duty for the week1 carried a torch before the ,king to his box1 ,louis would regularly stop to talk with him a long time4 ,these conversations were in ,english1 spoken by both as well as their own language4 ,it was reported to me that ,talma had said1 ,i prefer ,louis ,,xviii4's courtesy to ,bonaparte's pension4 ,courtesy1 in fact1 is the greatest charm of princes2 it doubles the value of the slightest favour4 ,in this regard ,his ,highness the ,count d',artois was in no way behind his brother4 ,by no means forgotten are the innumerable apt sayings1 bearing the corner-mark of kindness1 with which he won men's hearts4 ,after his accession to the throne--upon the death of ,louis ,,xviii4--,i chanced to be at the ,louvre the day he was giving medals to the painters and sculptors4 ,before presenting them he said1 in the most sympathetic manner1 ,they are not encouragements1 but rewards4 ,all the artists were touched by the delicate compliment implied in these words4 ,as for the ,duke de ,berri1 if he had not quite the same courtesy as his father1 he was as clever1 especially in that timely quickness of wit so useful to princes4 ,i select one example out of a thousand4 ,the first time he reviewed some troops he heard a few cries from the ranks of ,long live the ,emperor6 ,quite right1 my friends1 was his immediate remark2 every one must live4 ,upon which the same soldiers exclaimed1 ,long live the ,duke de ,berri6 ,his goodness of heart went so far that not only did he interest himself in everything that concerned his friends1 but behaved toward the domestics of his household as the father of a family might have done4 ,he was worshipped by his servants1 and employed his influence to encourage them in good conduct and in making whatever savings they could4 ,one day1 as he was about to enter his carriage1 a little kitchen scullion came running up to him with1 ,your ,highness1 ,i have saved fifteen francs this year6 ,well1 my boy1 that makes thirty1 said the ,duke1 giving him the sum the boy had mentioned4 ,the ,duke de ,berri kept his revenues in good order2 his heaviest expenses were occasioned by his taste for the arts1 a predilection shared by his amiable wife4 ,the ,duchess de ,berri was fond of encouraging young artists2 she would buy their pictures and often order more4 ,her liberality in paying never made her forget the duty of politeness incumbent upon rank4 ,she showed model civility in all her dealings with men of talent4 ,of the ,duchess d',angoulme ,i would not venture to speak4 ,what could ,i say that would not fall short of the truth8 ,the merits of this ,princess are known to the whole world1 and ,i fear ,i should but weaken the future verdict of history4 ,it is equally well known that fate united her with a ,prince whose high soul worthily appreciated her4 ,such was the family brought back to us by the ,restoration4 ,it is for politicians to explain how so many virtues and excellencies were insufficient to preserve the throne to them--my grateful heart cannot but regret them4 ,under ,bonaparte1 the large portrait ,i had made of the ,queen and her children had been relegated to a corner of the palace of ,versailles4 ,i left ,paris one morning to take a glance at it4 ,arrived at the royal gate1 a guard escorted me to the room which contained the picture1 and which was forbidden the public4 ,the custodian who admitted us recognised me from having seen me in ,rome1 and exclaimed1 ,oh1 how glad ,i am to welcome ,mme4 ,lebrun here6 ,he hastened to turn my picture round1 which was facing the wall1 since ,bonaparte1 after learning that many came to look at it1 had ordered its removal4 ,the order1 as is plain1 was very badly obeyed1 since the exhibition of the picture continued1 and this to such a degree that the custodian1 when ,i wanted to give him a trifle1 persisted in declining it1 saying that ,i had earned him enough money4 ,when the ,restoration came1 this picture was rexhibited at the ,salon4 ,i was keeping for myself another picture representing the ,queen1 done during the reign of ,bonaparte4 ,i had painted ,marie ,antoinette ascending to heaven2 to her left1 on some clouds1 are ,louis ,,xvi4 and two angels1 symbolising the two children he had lost4 ,illustration3 ,,louise ,,marie ,,ad,,la,,de ,,de ,,bourbon4 ,as soon as the peace of my country seemed assured1 ,i abandoned all thoughts of leaving it again1 and divided my time between ,paris and the country4 ,my liking for my pretty house at ,louveciennes was undiminished4 ,i spent eight months of the year there1 and in those surroundings my life flowed as smoothly as possible4 ,i painted1 ,i busied myself about my garden1 ,i took long1 solitary walks1 and on ,sundays ,i received my friends4 ,so fond was ,i of ,louveciennes that1 wishing to bequeath the place something to remember me by1 ,i painted a picture of ,saint ,genoveva for the church4 ,mme4 de ,genlis was good enough to dedicate a poem to me in acknowledgment4 ,if ,i gave away pictures1 some were given me1 and that in the heartiest manner4 ,i had frequently expressed a desire that my friends should commemorate themselves on the panels of my drawing-room at ,louveciennes4 ,one fine summer's morning1 at four o'clock1 while ,i was asleep1 the ,prince de ,crespy1 the ,baron de ,feisthamel1 ,m4 de ,rivire1 and my niece1 ,eugenia ,lebrun1 set silently to work4 ,by ten o'clock each frame was filled4 ,my surprise may be imagined when1 upon coming down to breakfast1 ,i entered the room and found it adorned with these delightful paintings as well as with garlands of flowers4 ,it was my birthday4 ,tears came into my eyes--the only thanks ,i was able to offer4 ,in #ahai ,his ,highness the ,duke de ,berri signified his wish to buy my ,sibyl1 which he had seen in my studio at ,london1 and although ,i perhaps prized this most of all my works1 ,i speedily complied with his request4 ,some years later ,i painted ,her ,highness the ,duchess de ,berri1 who gave me sittings at the ,tuileries with the politest punctuality1 and besides showed me a friendliness than which none could have been greater4 ,i shall never forget how1 while ,i was painting her one day1 she said1 ,wait a moment4 ,then1 getting up1 she went to her library for a book containing an article in my praise1 which she was obliging enough to read aloud from beginning to end4 ,during one of these sittings the ,duke de ,bordeaux brought his mother a copybook in which his master had written ,very good4 ,the ,duchess gave the boy two louis4 ,the little ,prince1 who might have been about six1 began to jump for joy1 shouting1 ,this will do for my poor--and for my old woman first of all6 ,when he was gone the ,duchess told me that her son referred to a poor soul he often met when he went out and of whom he was particularly fond4 ,while the ,duchess sat for me ,i would become irritated at the number of people who came to make calls4 ,she took note of this and was so considerate as to say1 ,why did you not ask me to pose at your house8 ,which she did for the two final sittings4 ,i confess that ,i never could think of such affecting warmth of heart without comparing the time ,i devoted to this genial ,princess with the melancholy hours ,mme4 ,murat had made me spend4 ,i painted two portraits of the ,duchess de ,berri4 ,in the first she is wearing a red velvet dress1 and in the other one of blue velvet4 ,i have no idea what has become of these pictures4 ,i must now speak of the sad years of my life during which1 in a brief space1 ,i saw the beings dearest to me depart this world4 ,first1 ,i lost ,m4 ,lebrun4 ,true that for a long time ,i had entertained no relations whatever with him1 yet ,i was none the less mournfully affected by his death4 ,you cannot without regret be separated forever from one to whom so close a tie as marriage has bound you4 ,this blow1 however1 was far less than the cruel grief ,i experienced at the death of my daughter4 ,i hastened to her as soon as ,i heard of her illness1 but the disease progressed rapidly1 and ,i cannot tell what ,i felt when all hope of saving her was gone4 ,when1 going to see her the last day1 my eyes fell upon that dreadfully sunken face1 ,i fainted away4 ,my old friend ,mme4 de ,noisville rescued me from that bed of sorrow2 she supported me1 for my legs would not carry me1 and took me home4 ,the next day ,i was childless6 ,mme4 de ,verdun came with the news1 and vainly tried to soften my despair4 ,all the wrongdoing of the poor little one vanished--,i saw her again1 ,i still see her1 in the days of her childhood4 ,alas6 she was so young6 ,why did she not survive me8 ,it was in #ahai that ,i was bereft of my daughter1 and in #ahbj ,i lost my brother4 ,so many successive shocks plunged me into such deep dejection that my friends1 grieving for my state1 urged me to try the distraction of a journey4 ,i therefore decided to visit ,bordeaux4 ,i did not know that town1 and hence the anticipation changed the current of my thoughts4 ,nor was ,i disappointed4 ,my health benefited by the journey1 and ,i returned to ,paris less dark in spirit4 ,from that day to this ,i have travelled no more4 ,after my return from ,bordeaux ,i resumed my daily habits and my work1 which of all distractions ,i have always found the best4 ,although having had the misfortune to lose so many dear ones1 ,i did not remain forsaken4 ,i have mentioned ,mme4 de ,rivire1 my niece1 who1 through her affection and her ministrations1 is the blessing of my life4 ,i must also speak of my other niece1 ,eugenia ,lebrun1 now ,mme4 ,tripier ,le ,franc4 ,her studies at first prevented me from seeing her as often as ,i should have liked to1 for since her earliest youth her disposition1 her mental qualities1 and her great gift for painting had promised to be a joy to me4 ,i took pleasure in guiding her1 in lavishing my counsels upon her1 and in watching her progress4 ,i am well rewarded to-day1 when she has realised all my hopes by her lovely character and her very remarkable talent for painting4 ,she has followed the same course as myself in the adoption of portrait painting1 and is earning success merited by fine colouring1 by great sincerity1 and1 particularly1 by perfect resemblance4 ,still young1 she can but add to a reputation which in her diffidence and modesty she has scarcely ventured to foresee4 ,mme4 ,tripier ,le ,franc and ,mme4 de ,rivire have become my daughters4 ,they bring back all of a mother's feelings to me1 and their tender devotion spreads a beautiful charm over my existence4 ,it is among these two dear creatures and the friends who have been spared me that ,i hope to end peacefully a wandering and even a laborious but honest life4 ,,the ,,end ,,appendix ,,list ,,of ,,mme4 ,,vig,e ,,lebrun',s ,,paintings ,this list is as complete and accurate as the material available for its compilation allowed4 ,the authoress's own catalogue of her works1 which necessarily formed the principal source of information1 is itself conspicuous for errors and omissions4 ,to rectify all of these beyond doubt and make an absolutely perfect list would have been impossible4 ,,from #agfh ,,to #aggb #a ,mme4 ,lebrun's mother1 large pastel4 #a ,the same1 back view4 #b ,mme4 ,lebrun's brother as a schoolboy4 #a ,m4 ,le ,svre4 #c ,m41 ,mme4 and ,mlle4 ,bandelaire4 #a ,m4 ,bandelaire1 half-length pastel4 #a ,m4 ,vandergust4 #a ,mlle4 ,pigale1 milliner to the ,queen4 #a ,her clerk4 #a ,mme4 ,lebrun's mother in white cloak4 #a ,mme4 ,raffeneau4 #a ,baroness d',esthal4 #b ,her two children4 #a ,mme4 d',aguesseau with her dog4 #a ,mme4 ,suzanne4 #a ,countess de la ,vieuville4 #a ,m4 ,mousat4 #a ,mlle4 ,mousat4 #a ,mlle4 ,lespare4 #b ,mme4 de ,fossy and her son4 #b ,viscount and ,viscountess de la ,blache4 #a ,mlle4 ,dorion4 #a ,m4 ,tranchart4 #a ,marquis de ,choiseul4 #a ,count de ,zanicourt4 ,studies of heads and copies from ,raphael1 ,van ,dyck1 ,rembrandt1 etc4 #aggc #a ,m4 and ,mme4 de ,roissy4 #a ,m4 de la ,fontaine4 #a ,count ,du ,barry4 #e ,count de ,geoffr4 #a ,marshal de ,stainville4 #c ,mme4 de ,bonneuil4 #a ,mme4 de ,saint-,pays4 #a ,mme4 ,paris4 #a ,m4 ,perrin4 #b ,copy of ,marquis de ,vrac4 #a ,an ,american lady4 #a ,mme4 ,thilori1 half-length4 #a ,copy of the same4 #a ,mme4 ,ttare4 #a ,copy of the ,bishop of ,beauvais4 #a ,m4 de ,vismes4 #a ,m4 ,pernon4 #a ,mlle4 ,dupetitoire4 #a ,mlle4 ,baillot4 #aggd #a ,abb ,giroux4 #a ,little ,roissy4 #a ,copy of ,chancellor d',aguesseau4 #a ,copy of ,m4 de la ,marche4 #a ,mme4 ,damerval4 #a ,count de ,brie4 #a ,mme4 ,maingat4 #a ,baroness de ,lande4 #a ,mme4 ,le ,normand4 #a ,mme4 de la ,grange4 #a ,m4 ,mraut4 #a ,viscount de ,boisjelin4 #a ,m4 de ,saint-,malo4 #a ,m4 ,desmarets4 #a ,countess d',harcourt4 #b ,mlle4 de ,saint-,brie and ,mlle4 de ,sence4 #a ,countess de ,gontault4 #a ,mlle4 ,robin4 #a ,m4 de ,borelly4 #a ,m4 de ,momanville4 #b ,the ,rossignol sisters4 #a ,mme4 de ,belgarde4 #agge #a ,mme4 de ,monville with her child4 #a ,mme4 ,denis4 #a ,count ,schouvaloff4 #a ,count de ,langeas4 #a ,mme4 ,mong4 #a ,mme4 ,tabari4 #a ,mme4 de ,fougerait4 #a ,mme4 de ,jumilhac4 #a ,marquise de ,roncherol4 #a ,prince de ,rochefort4 #a ,mlle4 de ,rochefort4 #a ,m4 de ,livoy4 #a ,mme4 de ,ronsy4 #a ,m4 de ,monville4 #a ,mlle4 de ,coss4 #a ,mme4 ,augeard4 #a ,copy of ,mme4 ,damerval4 #a ,mme4 ,deplan4 #a ,m4 ,caze4 #a ,m4 ,goban4 #a ,mlle4 de ,rubec4 #a ,m4 de ,roncherol4 #a ,prince de ,rohan1 the elder4 #a ,prince ,julius de ,rohan4 #a ,m4 ,ducluzel4 #b ,count and ,countess de ,cologand4 #a ,mlle4 ,julie1 who married ,talma4 #a ,mme4 ,courville4 #a ,marquis de ,grac4 #a ,mme4 de ,laborde4 #a ,mlle4 de ,givris4 #a ,mlle4 de ,ganiselot4 #a ,m4 de ,veselay4 #aggf #a ,princess de ,craon4 #a ,marquis de ,chouart4 #a ,prince de ,montbarrey4 #a ,baron ,gros1 painter1 as a child4 #a ,princess de ,talleyrand4 #a ,count des ,deux-,ponts4 #a ,mme4 de ,montbarrey4 #a ,a banker4 #b ,m4 and ,mme4 ,toullier4 #a ,princess d',arenberg4 #a ,m4 de ,saint-,denis4 #ab ,monsieur1 the ,king's brother4 #b ,m4 and ,mme4 de ,valesque4 #a ,little ,vaubal4 #a ,mme4 de ,lamoignon4 #d ,m4 de ,savalette4 #a ,prince of ,nassau4 #a ,mme4 de ,brente4 #a ,lady ,berkely4 #a ,mme4 ,saulot4 #a ,countess ,potocka4 #b ,mme4 de ,verdun4 #a ,mme4 de ,montmorin4 #a ,her daughter4 #aggg #a ,marquis de ,crvecoeur4 #a ,baron de ,vombal4 #a ,mme4 ,perrin4 #a ,m4 ,oglovi4 #a ,m4 ,saint-,hubert4 #a ,mme4 de ,nolstein4 #a ,mme4 de ,beaugoin4 #b ,mlle4 ,dartois4 #a ,mme4 ,le ,normand4 #a ,m4 de ,finnel4 #a ,m4 de ,lange4 #a ,mme4 de ,montlegiets #a ,mme4 de la ,fargue4 #aggh #a ,duchess de ,chartres4 #a ,mme4 de ,teuilly4 #a ,m4 de ,saint-,priest1 ambassador4 #b ,m4 and ,mme4 ,dailly4 #b ,m4 and ,mme4 ,domnival4 #a ,mme4 ,mong4 #a ,mme4 ,degraudot4 #a ,marquis de ,coss4 #a ,marquis d',armaill4 #a ,duke de ,coss4 #a ,mlle4 de ,ponse4 #a ,monsieur1 the ,king's brother4 #a ,marquise de ,montemey4 #a ,mme4 de ,foissy4 #b ,the ,brongniart children4 #a ,m4 de ,rannomanovski4 #a ,mme4 de ,roissy4 #a ,mme4 de ,bec de ,livre4 #a ,copy of portrait of the ,queen4 #b ,madame1 wife of ,monsieur4 #a ,copy of portrait of ,mme4 ,du ,barry4 #a ,mlle4 ,lamoignon4 #a ,head of ,mme4 ,vige ,lebrun4 #a ,copy of portrait of ,marie ,antoinette4 #a ,mme4 ,filorier4 #aggi #a ,marquis de ,vrague4 #a ,countess de ,virieu4 #a ,mme4 ,richard4 #a ,mme4 de ,mong4 #a ,large portrait of the ,queen for the ,empress of ,russia4 #b ,half-length portraits of ,marie ,antoinette4 #b ,copies of the same4 #a ,mme4 de ,savigny4 #b ,the same with her son4 #b ,m4 and ,mme4 de ,lastic4 #a ,woman as a ,jewess for ,m4 de ,coss4 #a ,mme4 ,dicbrie4 #b ,copies of busts of ,marie ,antoinette4 #b ,mme4 ,ducluzel4 #a ,mme4 de ,verdun4 #a ,count de ,dorsen1 the younger4 #b ,m4 and ,mme4 de ,montesquiou4 #a ,portrait of the ,queen1 for ,m4 de ,sartines4 #a ,mme4 de ,palerme4 #a ,a little ,american4 #a ,mlle4 de la ,fert4 #a ,head1 looking down1 for ,m4 de ,coss4 #a ,duke d',orlans4 #a ,marquise de ,montesson4 #b ,copies of the ,duke d',orlans4 #b ,copies of large portrait of ,marie ,antoinette for ,m4 de ,vergennes4 #a ,mme4 de ,vannes4 #a ,countess de ,tournon4 #a ,prince de ,montbarrey4 #aghj #a ,mme4 ,lessout4 #a ,large picture of ,marie ,antoinette4 #a ,the same4 #d ,mme4 de ,verdun and family4 #a ,mme4 de ,montesquiou4 #a ,mme4 de ,montaudran4 #a ,mme4 ,foulquier4 #b ,mme4 ,genty4 #a ,duchess de ,mazarin4 #agha #a ,young girl smelling a rose4 #a ,mme4 ,young4 #a ,count de ,coss4 #a ,princess de ,croyes4 #a ,mme4 de ,saint-,alban4 #a ,m4 de ,landry4 #b ,portraits of ,mme4 ,vige ,lebrun4 #a ,monsieur1 brother of the ,king4 #a ,copy of same4 #a ,duchess de ,chaulnes4 #a ,mme4 ,dumoley4 #a ,m4 ,dumoley1 the younger4 #a ,countess ,du ,barry4 #a ,sketch for a picture of ,juno4 #a ,venus1 study of a head4 #a ,mme4 d',harvelay4 #e ,studies of heads4 #b ,mlle4 de ,laborde4 #a ,mlle4 ,devaron4 #a ,mme4 ,moreton4 #a ,copy of ,m4 ,moreton4 #a ,mme4 de la ,porte4 #c ,princess ,lamballe4 #aghb #a ,madame1 sister of the ,king4 #a ,copy of same4 #a ,duchess de ,polignac4 #a ,copy of same4 #a ,baron de ,montesquiou4 #a ,mme4 de ,verdun4 #a ,mme4 de ,chatenay4 #c ,prince ,henry of ,prussia4 #aghc #a ,marquise de la ,guiche4 #a ,mme4 ,grant4 #a ,landgrave de ,salm4 #a ,mme4 de ,mailly4 #b ,countess d',artois4 #b ,countess de ,simiane4 #b ,duchess de ,guiche4 #a ,marie ,antoinette with hat4 #b ,the same in full dress4 #b ,mme4 ,elisabeth1 sister of the ,king4 #a ,copy of same4 #a ,mlle4 ,lavigne4 #c ,copies of the ,queen with hat4 #d ,the ,queen in velvet dress4 #d ,copies of same4 #a ,the ,dauphin4 #a ,mme4 ,royale1 daughter of the ,king4 #aghd #a ,count de ,vaudreuil4 #e ,copies of same4 #a ,countess de ,grammont-,caderousse4 #a ,countess de ,serre4 #a ,m4 de ,beaujon4 #aghe #a ,m4 de ,beaujon4 #a ,princess de ,carignan4 #a ,mme4 ,fodi4 #a ,m4 de ,calonne4 #a ,countess de ,sgur4 #a ,copy of same4 #a ,count de ,sgur4 #a ,copy of same4 #a ,baroness de ,crussol4 #a ,m4 de ,saint-,hermine4 #a ,grtry4 #a ,countess de ,clermont-,tonerre4 #a ,countess de ,virieu4 #a ,viscountess de ,vaudreuil4 #b ,copies of the ,queen in full dress4 #a ,mme4 ,vige4 #a ,copy of ,m4 de ,calonne4 #a ,m4 de ,beaujon4 #aghf #a ,mme4 ,fouquet's little daughter4 #a ,mme4 de ,tott4 #a ,little d',espagnac4 #a ,mme4 de la ,briche's little daughter4 #a ,mme4 de ,puysgur4 #a ,mme4 ,raymond4 #a ,mme4 ,daudelot4 #a ,mme4 ,davaray4 #a ,countess de ,sabran4 #a ,mme4 ,vige ,lebrun and her daughter4 #aghg #a ,mlle4 ,lebrun reading the ,bible4 #a ,mme4 de ,roug and two sons4 #a ,mme4 ,dugazon1 as ,nina4 #a ,cailleau1 as a huntsman4 #b ,his two children4 #a ,mlle4 ,lebrun in profile4 #a ,the same1 looking at a mirror4 #a ,mme4 de la ,grange4 #a ,marie ,antoinette and her children4 #a ,mme4 ,vige ,lebrun4 #b ,countess de ,bon4 #a ,m4 ,le ,jeune4 #c ,the ,dauphin1 ,madame1 and the ,duke de ,normandie4 #a ,aunt of ,mme4 ,verdun4 #a ,duchess de ,guiche1 holding a wreath of flowers4 #a ,pastel of same4 #b ,duchess de ,polignac with straw hat4 #a ,the same1 singing at a piano4 #a ,mme4 de ,chatenay4 #a ,mme4 ,du ,barry1 full-length4 #a ,the same1 in dressing-gown4 #a ,mme4 de ,polignac4 #aghh #a ,duke de ,polignac4 #a ,his father4 #a ,robert1 landscape painter4 #a ,mme4 ,dumoley4 #a ,mme4 de la ,briche4 #a ,countess de ,beaumont4 #a ,little ,baron d',escars4 #a ,little ,prince ,lubomirski4 #a ,the same1 in pursuit of fame4 #a ,little ,brongniart4 #a ,marquise de ,grollier4 #a ,le ,bailly de ,crussol4 #a ,mme4 de la ,guiche1 as a dairymaid4 #a ,count d',angevilliers4 #aghi #a ,m4 de ,chatelux1 from memory4 #a ,the ,duke de ,normandie1 full-length4 #a ,mme4 ,pregaux4 #a ,mme4 de ,sgur1 profile4 #a ,large portrait of ,marie ,antoinette for the ,baron de ,breteuil4 #a ,duchess de la ,rochefoucauld4 #a ,cupid4 #a ,duchess d',orlans4 #a ,mme4 ,vige ,lebrun and daughter1 for ,m4 d',angevilliers4 #a ,mme4 de ,grollier4 #a ,le ,bailly de ,crussol4 #a ,mme4 d',aumont4 #b ,mme4 de ,polignac4 #b ,mme4 de ,guiche1 pastel4 #a ,mme4 de ,pienne4 #a ,mme4 de ,chtre4 #a ,mme4 de ,fresne-d',aguesseau4 #a ,marshal de ,sgur4 #a ,madame and the ,dauphin4 #a ,robert1 the landscape painter4 #a ,mlle4 ,lebrun1 small oval4 #a ,mme4 ,chalgrin4 #a ,mme4 ,vige ,lebrun1 pastel4 #a ,joseph ,vernet4 #a ,prince of ,nassau1 full length4 #a ,mme4 ,vige ,lebrun1 with daughter in arms4 #a ,mme4 ,raymond with her child4 #b ,mme4 de ,simiane4 #b ,mme4 ,rousseau4 #a ,mme4 ,duvernais4 #a ,mme4 de ,saint-,alban4 #a ,mme4 ,savigni4 #a ,mlle4 ,dorion4 #a ,mme4 ,du ,barry4 ,,done ,,at ,,rome #a ,mme4 ,vige ,lebrun1 for the ,academy of ,lucca4 #a ,the same for the gallery at ,florence4 #a ,copy of same1 for ,lord ,bristol4 #a ,miss ,pitt4 #a ,mlle4 ,roland4 #a ,mme4 ,silva1 a ,portuguese4 #a ,countess ,potocka4 #b ,princesses ,adelaide and ,victoria1 ,house of ,bourbon4 ,,various ,,landscapes1 ,,oils ,,and ,,crayons ,,done ,,at ,,naples #a ,countess ,skavronska1 three-quarter length4 #b ,the same1 half-length4 #a ,lady ,hamilton1 as a reclining bacchante4 #a ,the same1 as a sibyl1 full-length4 #a ,the same1 as a bacchante dancing4 #a ,head of the same as a sibyl4 #a ,princess ,maria ,theresa1 who married ,emperor ,francis ,,ii4 #a ,princess ,maria ,louisa1 who married the ,grand ,duke of ,tuscany4 #a ,princess ,marie-,christine1 of ,naples4 #a ,paesiello1 composer4 #a ,prince ,resonico4 #a ,lord ,bristol1 three-quarter length4 #a ,bailiff of ,litta4 #a ,queen of ,naples4 ,studies of ,vesuvius and several landscapes4 ,,done ,,at ,,turin ,,and ,,other ,,places #a ,head1 in oils1 for the ,academy of ,parma4 #a ,small portrait for the ,institute of ,bologna4 #a ,mme4 de ,gourbillon4 #a ,her son4 #a ,mlle4 ,lebrun1 as a bather4 #a ,mlle4 ,porporati4 #a ,copy of portrait of ,raphael at ,florence4 ,various landscapes from nature4 ,,done ,,at ,,venice #a ,mme4 ,marini4 ,,done ,,at ,,vienna #a ,mme4 ,bistri1 a ,pole4 #a ,mlle4 de ,caquenet4 #a ,countess ,kinska1 three-quarter length4 #a ,the same1 half-length4 #a ,countess de ,buquoi4 #a ,countess ,rasomovska4 #a ,countess ,palfi4 #a ,princess ,lichtenstein4 #a ,count ,strogonoff1 half-length4 #a ,the same1 hands showing4 #a ,count ,czernicheff1 in black domino4 #a ,countess ,zamoiska1 dancing4 #a ,young ,countess de ,fries as ,sapho4 #a ,duchess de ,guiche in blue turban4 #b ,portraits of ,prince ,schotorinski1 one with cloak4 #a ,mme4 de ,schoenfeld1 wife of ,saxon ,minister1 with her child4 #a ,prince ,henry ,lubomirski1 playing on a lyre1 with two naiades listening4 #a ,princess ,lichtenstein1 as ,iris4 #a ,princess ,esterhazy1 sitting by the sea4 #a ,princess ,louise ,galitzin4 #a ,mme4 ,mayer4 #a ,little girl bathing4 #a ,countess ,severin ,potocka4 #a ,princess of ,wurtemberg4 #a ,small picture for ,count ,wilsech4 #a ,countess de ,braonne1 to the knees4 #a ,small portrait for ,mme4 de ,carpeny4 #a ,duchess de ,polignac1 from memory1 after her death4 #a ,young ,edmund de ,polignac4 #a ,princess ,sapieha4 ,,pastels ,,done ,,at ,,vienna #a ,count ,woina1 son of the ,polish ,ambassador4 #a ,mlle4 ,caroline ,woina1 his sister4 #a ,young ,countess ,metzy de ,polignac4 #a ,young ,countess ,thrse de ,hardik4 #b ,the two brothers of the ,duchess de ,guiche4 #a ,brother of ,mlle4 de ,fries1 half-length4 #b ,countess de ,rombec1 half-length4 #a ,count ,julius de ,polignac4 #a ,princess ,linovska4 #a ,lady ,gaisford4 #a ,the de ,choisy sisters4 #a ,mlle4 ,schoen4 #a ,agenor1 infant son of the ,duchess de ,polignac4 #a ,his brother1 ,count de ,fries4 #a ,countess de ,thun4 #a ,countess d',harrack4 #a ,small drawing of the same4 #a ,m4 de ,rivire4 #a ,m4 ,thomas1 architect4 #a ,countess de ,rombec4 #a ,marquis de ,rivire4 ,landscapes near ,vienna1 from nature4 ,,done ,,in ,,russia #a ,mme4 ,dimidoff4 #a ,princess ,mentchikoff1 with her child1 three-quarter length4 #a ,countess ,potocka1 with dove1 reclining4 #a ,young ,countess ,schouvaloff1 half-length4 #a ,the young ,grand ,duchesses ,helen and ,alexandrina4 #b ,grand ,duchess ,elizabeth1 arranging flowers in a basket4 #b ,half-length copies of the same4 #b ,half-length pictures of her1 one hand showing4 #a ,countess ,orloff4 #a ,marshall ,soltikoff4 #b ,grand ,duchess ,anne1 half-length4 #b ,countess ,scavronska1 copied from portrait done at ,naples4 #a ,countess ,strogonoff1 with her child4 #a ,count ,strogonoff1 half-length4 #d ,countess ,sammakloff1 with her children4 #a ,countess ,apraxin4 #a ,princess ,isoupoff4 #a ,her son4 #b ,countess ,voranxoff4 #a ,countess ,golovin1 one hand showing4 #a ,countess ,tolsto1 leaning against a rock4 #b ,princess ,alexis ,kurakin and her husband4 #b ,king ,stanislaus ,augustus ,poniatowski1 one in ,henry ,,iv4 costume1 the other in velvet cloak4 #a ,his great-niece1 playing with a little dog4 #a ,princess ,michael ,galitzin4 #a ,emperor ,alexander ,i41 of ,russia4 #a ,empress ,elizabeth1 his wife4 #a ,empress ,maria of ,russia1 wife of the ,emperor ,paul4 #b ,countess ,diedrichstein and her husband4 #a ,princess ,bauris ,galitzin1 three-quarter length4 #a ,lord ,talbot1 half-length4 #a ,princess ,sapieha1 with tambour1 dancing4 #a ,daughter of ,princess ,isoupoff4 #a ,mme4 ,kutusoff1 half-length4 #a ,baron ,strogonoff4 #a ,mlle4 ,kasisky4 #a ,princess ,alexander ,galitzin4 #a ,mme4 ,kalitcheff4 #a ,count ,potocka4 #a ,count ,litta4 #a ,princess ,viaminski4 #a ,young ,prince ,bariatinski4 #b ,prince ,alexander ,kurakin1 half-length4 #a ,mme4 ,vige ,lebrun1 in black1 to the knees1 holding palette1 for the ,academy of ,st4 ,petersburg4 ,,done ,,at ,,berlin #b ,pastels of the ,queen of ,prussia4 #a ,mme4 de ,souza1 ,portuguese ,ambassadress4 #a ,portrait of a lady4 ,,done ,,at ,,dresden #c ,emperor ,alexander1 copied from portrait done at ,st4 ,petersburg4 #a ,daughter of the ,countess ,potocka4 #a ,a ,german lady4 ,,done ,,in ,,england #a ,miss ,dorset4 #a ,mme4 ,chinnery4 #b ,her children4 #a ,miss ,dillon4 #a ,mme4 ,villiers4 #a ,margravine of ,anspach4 #a ,mme4 ,baring4 #a ,prince of ,wales4 #a ,mme4 de ,polastron4 #a ,countess ,diedrichstein4 #b ,infant son of ,mme4 de ,polastron4 #a ,lord ,byron4 #a ,prince ,bariatinski4 #a ,an ,american lady4 #a ,son of ,margravine of ,anspach4 #c ,portraits of ,mme4 ,vige ,lebrun4 #c ,mme4 ,grassini1 two of them in oriental costume1 the other half-length4 #a ,portrait of an ,irish lady4 #a ,lady ,georgina1 daughter of ,lady ,gordon4 #a ,prince ,biron of ,courland1 as a huntsman4 #a ,two sons of ,countess de ,vaudreuil4 ,views of the seacoast in crayons1 and several landscapes4 ,,done ,,at ,,paris ,,after ,,returning #a ,queen of ,prussia1 from picture done at ,berlin1 large half-length4 #a ,prince ,ferdinand of ,prussia4 #a ,prince ,augustus ,ferdinand1 his son4 #a ,princess ,louise ,radzivill1 his sister4 #a ,princess ,tufakin4 #a ,mme4 ,catalani1 singing at a piano4 #a ,mme4 ,murat1 with her daughter4 #d ,portraits of ,mme4 ,vige ,lebrun for friends4 #c ,mme4 ,grassini4 #a ,m4 ,ragani1 her husband4 #a ,viscountess de ,vaudreuil4 #b ,count de ,vaudreuil1 her uncle4 #b ,duchess de ,guiche4 #a ,young ,princess ,potemski1 half-length4 #a ,mme4 ,constans4 #a ,countess d',andlau1 with hands showing4 #a ,duke de ,berri4 #b ,countess de ,rosambeau and ,countess d',orglande1 daughters of ,countess d',andlau4 #b ,the two d',andlau brothers4 #a ,viotti1 famous violinist4 #a ,marquise de ,grollier1 painting flowers4 #a ,m4 de ,crussol1 large half-length picture4 #a ,mlle4 de ,grnonville4 #a ,mme4 ,davidoff4 #a ,marquis de ,rivire1 for ,king ,charles ,x41 half-length4 #a ,count de ,cotlosquet4 #a ,mme4 de ,pront1 his niece4 #b ,duchess de ,berri4 #a ,mlle4 de ,sassenay4 #a ,m4 ,raoul ,rochette4 #a ,m4 ,sapey4 #a ,mme4 ,lafont4 #a ,mlle4 de ,rivire4 #a ,alfred de ,rivire4 #a ,baron de ,feisthamel1 painting4 #a ,baron de ,crespy le ,prince1 drawing4 #a ,mme4 ,ditte4 #a ,mme4 de ,rivire1 both hands showing4 #a ,profile of ,mme4 ,vige ,lebrun1 for a medallion for the ,city of ,st4 ,petersburg1 on which ,angelica ,kauffman was also to appear4 ,,sundry ,,pictures #a ,poetry1 ,painting and ,music4 #a ,spanish ,scene4 #a ,love asleep under a tree4 #a ,young girl1 surprised in her shirt4 #a ,young girl1 caught writing4 #a ,innocence seeking refuge in the arms of ,justice4 #a ,venus binding the wings of ,love4 #a ,juno asking girdle from ,venus4 #a ,bacchante with tiger-skin4 #a ,peace bringing back ,plenty4 #a ,apotheosis of the ,queen4 #a ,shipwrecked woman4 #a ,cataract of ,narva4 #a ,amphion playing on the lyre4 #a ,an old man with his son4 ,about #bjj ,swiss and ,english landscapes4 ,,sundry ,,portraits #a ,mme4 ,ducrest de ,villeneuve4 #a ,marquise de ,jancourt4 #a ,countess de ,provence4 #a ,woman painting4 #a ,mme4 ,mol-,raymond1 of the ,comdie-,franaise1 with muff4 #a ,the infant ,duke de ,berri4 #a ,lady playing the harp4 #a ,countess ,czartoryska4 #a ,mme4 ,courcelles4 #a ,davich ,khan4 #a ,his son4 #a ,prince de ,rochefort4 #a ,cardinal ,fleury1 from an engraving4 #a ,la ,bruyre1 from an engraving4 #a ,mme4 de ,suffrein1 from memory4 #a ,abb ,delille1 from memory4 #a ,countess de ,las ,casas1 from memory4 ,,index d',abrants1 ,duchess1 #aac d',alembert1 #ai ,alexander1 as ,emperor of ,russia1 #afj1 #afa ,alexandrina1 ,duchess1 #aae ,alexandrina1 ,grand ,duchess1 #if ,amiens1 ,treaty of1 #ahf ,amsterdam1 #cc ,anacharsis1 #ch d',angevilliers1 ,m41 #cj d',angoulme1 ,duchess1 #bjf1 #baj ,anne1 ,grand ,duchess1 #ig ,anspach1 ,margravine of1 #aif1 #aig ,archimandrite1 the1 #ajg1 #abi1 #acj d',aremberg1 ,duchess1 #ba d',aremberg1 ,princess1 #cb ,arnault1 ,abb1 #h ,arnould1 ,mlle41 #da1 #de d',artois1 ,count1 #cj1 #dd1 #hg1 #aij1 #bjh d',artois1 ,countess1 #cj ,assassination of ,paul1 ,emperor of ,russia1 #aef1 #afj ,asvedo1 #cf ,auber1 the crown jeweller1 #ba ,augu1 ,mlle41 #agi ,augustus1 ,prince of ,england1 #gc ,bariatinski1 ,prince1 #hg1 #ih ,bariatinski1 ,princess1 #aaj ,barrire du ,trne1 #ee ,bassano1 ,mme4 de1 #agg ,beaujolais1 ,duke de1 #aif ,beaujon1 ,m4 de1 #da ,beaumarchais1 ,m4 de1 #dh ,beauvoisin ,bridge1 #ef ,berlin1 arrival at1 #afg ,bernis1 de1 ,cardinal1 #eg1 #fc ,berri1 ,duke de1 #fi1 #aia1 #aih1 #bji1 #baa ,berri1 ,duchess de1 #baa1 #bab ,bertin1 ,mlle41 #fe ,bezborodko1 ,prince1 #aea1 #aeb ,bombelles1 ,marquis de1 #gb ,bonaparte1 #agf1 #agi1 #bja1 #bjb ,bonaparte1 ,lucien1 #agd1 #agf ,bonneuil1 ,mme4 de1 #bd1 #agd ,boquet1 ,mlle41 #g1 #h1 #ab1 #ac ,boufflers1 ,chevalier de1 #cf1 #cg ,bourbon1 ,duke de1 #fi ,bournonville1 ,general1 #agj ,boutin1 ,m41 #ci ,branicka1 ,countess1 #ie ,briard1 #h ,brighton1 #aid1 #aie ,brionne1 ,countess de1 #aa1 #ai1 #gh ,brongniart1 #eb ,brongniart1 ,mme41 #eb ,brongniarts1 #age ,brussels1 #cc ,budweis1 #ha ,buturlin1 ,count1 #aeb ,caf ,turc1 #ac ,calonne1 ,m4 de1 #da ,campan1 ,mme41 #agi ,canaletto's pictures1 #gg ,canillos1 ,mme4 de1 #ba ,canisy1 ,mme4 de1 #agg ,caravaggio's pictures1 #gg ,catherine ,,ii41 #hj1 #he1 #hf1 #hg1 #if1 #ig1 #ih2 her reign a boon to ,russia1 #aab2 her simple mode of life1 #aad2 her death1 #aaf ,chalgrin1 ,mme41 #ac ,champs lyses1 #ad ,chartres1 ,duchess de1 #aa1 #bb ,chaudet1 #ci ,chimay1 ,prince de1 #agh ,chinnery1 ,mme41 #aib1 #aic ,choiseul1 ,duke de1 #ai ,clotilda1 ,queen of ,sardinia1 #gd ,cobentzel1 ,count1 #ia1 #ib1 #ic1 #aaf ,coliseum1 ,the1 #ad1 #fj ,comdie ,franaise1 #ad ,cond1 ,prince de1 #abf ,contat1 ,mlle41 #dd1 #ed ,conti1 ,princess de1 #dg ,constantine1 ,grand ,duke1 #ig ,couteux du ,molay1 le1 #cg ,cramer1 #cf ,cubires1 ,marquis de1 #ci1 #dj ,dalayrac's ,underground1 #ia ,daughter of ,mme4 ,lebrun1 death of1 #bab1 #bac ,davesne1 #f ,davich ,kahn1 #be ,de la ,ribaussire1 #ia ,delayrac1 #df ,delille1 ,abb1 #cg1 #ahj1 #aha ,denis1 #fa ,denis1 ,mme41 #fc ,denon1 ,m41 #gb ,devonshire1 ,duchess of1 #ahf ,diderot1 #g ,diedrichstein1 ,count1 #aae ,dimidoff1 ,m41 #abg ,dimidoff1 ,mme41 #ahj ,dolgoruki1 ,princess1 #ia1 #ib1 #aja1 #aad1 #aaf1 #aag1 #afa1 #agi1 #ahj ,domenichino1 #bb ,dorset1 ,lady1 #aie ,doyen1 #e1 #g1 #abe1 #abf ,du ,barry1 ,mme41 her portrait is painted by ,mme4 ,lebrun1 #ej2 account of her death1 #ea ,ducis1 #agh ,ducrest de ,villeneuve1 ,countess1 #abg1 #adg1 #adh ,dugazon1 #dd ,dugazon1 ,mme41 #df ,dumesnil1 ,mlle41 #db ,duroc1 ,general1 #agj ,duvivier1 ,m41 accompanies ,mme4 ,lebrun to ,naples1 #fc galit1 ,philippe1 #dg ,elisabeth1 ,mme41 #cj ,elisabeth1 ,princess1 wife of ,alexander1 #he1 #if1 #ig1 #ih d',enghien1 ,duke1 #aia d',entraigues1 ,count1 #de ,esterhazy1 ,count1 #hd1 #he1 #hg ,esterhazy1 ,countess1 #he ,fantoccini1 ,carlo ,perico's1 #ad ,faubourg1 ,saint ,antoine1 #ee ,faubourg1 ,saint ,germain1 #aa ,filleul1 ,m41 #ac ,fitzherbert1 ,mme41 #ahg ,fleury1 ,cardinal1 #ai ,fleury1 ,duchess de1 #fb1 #fh ,france1 return to1 #agb ,francis ,,ii41 ,emperor of ,austria1 #gj1 #gh ,frogres1 #abc ,gallery of the ,titans1 #ef ,galitzin1 ,prince1 #adi1 #aej ,garat1 #cf ,gardel1 #de ,gennevilliers1 #dg ,geoffrin1 ,mme41 #aj ,genis1 ,mme4 de1 #baa ,grard1 ,m41 #agg ,gerbier1 #ah ,gluck1 #h1 #cf1 #de ,gluckists1 #cf ,golovin1 ,countess1 #aja ,gourbillon1 ,mme4 de1 #ge ,grammont-,caderousse1 ,duchess de1 #bb ,grassini1 ,mme41 #bja ,grtry1 #ah1 #cf1 #di ,greuze1 #i1 #agd ,greville1 ,lord1 #fg ,grollier1 ,marquise de1 #cf ,guiche1 ,countess de la1 #da1 #gi ,guimard1 ,mlle41 #df ,hamelin1 ,mme41 #ahj ,hamilton1 ,sir ,william1 #fe1 #fg ,hamilton1 ,lady1 #ff1 #fg1 #fh1 #fi ,hampton ,court1 #aic ,harlequin1 #fj ,harte1 ,mme4 7,lady ,hamilton71 #fe1 #ff ,helen1 ,grand ,duchess1 #if ,helvetius1 #g ,henry of ,prussia1 ,prince1 #cf ,hermitage1 the1 #aac ,herschel1 ,doctor1 #aic1 #aid ,hulmondel1 #cf ,hydromel1 #ajh ,iphigenia1 #hi ,jarnovick1 #cf ,jouberthon1 ,mme41 #agd ,knowles ,castle1 #aie ,krestovski1 ,island of1 #aaj ,krudener1 ,baroness de1 #afi ,kurakin1 ,prince ,alexander1 #adi ,kurakin1 ,princess1 #ia1 #afa ,kutaisoff1 #aeg1 #afj ,laborde1 ,mlle4 de1 #ed ,la ,bruyre1 #ai ,la ,harpe1 #bb ,lamballe1 ,princess de1 #ca ,lambeth1 ,m41 #cj ,langeron1 ,count de1 #abg ,larive1 #ch ,laruette1 ,mme41 #ch ,latour1 #d1 #ah ,lauzun1 ,duke de1 #ai ,lebrun1 ,eugenia1 #baa1 #bac ,lebrun1 ,mme41 daughter of1 #acf1 #adj2 letter of1 #ahh-aij ,lebrun1 ,m41 his marriage to ,mlle4 ,vige1 #bj2 his appropriation of her earnings1 #da2 his death1 #bab ,lebrun1 the poet1 #cg1 #ch ,lekain1 #ah1 #ch1 #db ,le ,moine1 #ah ,lichtenstein1 ,prince1 #gg ,lichtenstein1 ,princess1 #hj ,ligne1 ,prince de1 #cb1 #gi1 #hj1 #he1 #id1 #aac ,london1 journey to1 #ahb2 streets of1 #ahd2 ,sunday in1 #ahd2 artists of1 #ahe2 climate of1 #ahe ,longchamps1 #ac ,lorraine1 ,princess de1 #aa1 #ai ,louis ,,xviii41 #cj1 #ca1 #bjf-bjh ,louveciennes1 sacking of1 #bjd1 #bje ,louvre1 the1 #i ,lubomirska1 ,prince1 #db ,lubomirska1 ,princess1 #db ,luxembourg ,palace1 #h1 #ae ,lyon1 ,emma 7,lady ,hamilton71 #ff ,madame1 the ,wife of ,louis ,,xviii41 #ge ,maestricht1 #cc ,maestrino1 #cf ,maria1 ,empress of ,russia1 portrait of1 #abh2 beauty of1 #abh2 children of1 #abi ,marie ,antoinette1 #ag1 #bb2 her portrait is painted by ,mme4 ,lebrun1 #be1 #cj2 reference to portrait1 #abf2 bust of1 #agi ,marie1 ,grand ,duchess1 #ig ,maria ,theresa1 wife of ,emperor ,francis ,,ii41 #gh ,marly-le-,roi1 #ag ,marriage of ,figaro1 the1 #dd ,mars1 ,mlle41 #dd ,martini1 #cf ,matlock1 #aid ,mazarin1 ,duchess de1 #bc1 #acd ,melissimo1 #aaa2 his luxurious house1 #aaa2 elaborate entertainment for ,mme4 ,lebrun1 #aaa ,metternich1 ,m4 de1 #ahj ,metternich1 ,prince1 #gi ,moira1 ,lord1 #aih ,monaco1 ,princess ,joseph de1 #fb1 #fh1 #gc ,montesquiou1 ,marquis de1 #ca ,montgerou1 ,mme4 de1 #cf ,montesson1 ,mme4 de1 #dg ,montpensier1 ,duke de1 #aif ,moscow1 journey to1 #adb1 #adc2 size of1 #add2 cemeteries of1 #add2 palaces of1 #adi2 banker of1 #aej2 departure from1 #aed ,mller1 #cd ,murat1 ,mme41 #agi1 #bjc ,naples1 ,queen of1 #fg1 #gj1 #ga1 #gb ,narischkin1 ,prince1 #hi ,narva1 #afd ,nassau1 ,prince1 #gi ,nelson1 ,lord1 #fi ,neva1 the breaking up of ice in1 #ajf2 blessing of1 #ajg ,nicholas1 ,grand ,duke of ,russia1 #abi ,nivernais1 ,duke de1 #di ,noailles1 ,marshal de1 #ce d',orlans1 ,duke1 #dg1 #aif ,orloff1 ,count1 #aj1 #ij1 #adh ,opra-,comique1 #df ,palais ,royal1 #i1 #ab1 #cf ,paris1 comparison with other cities1 #age ,parois1 ,count de1 #ci ,paul1 #ajc1 #aaf1 #aag2 accession of1 #aai2 tyranny of1 #abj2 personal appearance of1 #abe2 assassination of1 #aef ,pergola1 ,lake of1 #aji ,prouse1 ,m4 de la1 #ad1 #fb ,peter ,,iii41 his funeral1 with that of ,catherine1 #aag ,peter1 ,mme4 ,lebrun's servant1 #ajd1 #aji ,peyre1 ,mme41 #agh ,pez1 ,mme4 de1 #cg ,piccini1 #cf1 #de ,piccinists1 #cf ,pierre1 ,m41 opposition to ,mme4 ,lebrun's election to ,royal ,academy of ,painting1 #cd ,pitt1 ,miss1 #eg ,poinsinet1 #e ,polignac1 ,duchess de1 #gi ,poniatowski1 ,prince ,joseph1 #acd1 #ace ,poniatowski1 ,stanislaus ,augustus1 #aca-acc ,pope ,pius ,,vi41 #eh ,porporati1 #gf ,posilippo1 #gj1 #ga ,potemkin1 account of his extravagances1 #ic1 #id2 his death1 #ie ,potocka1 ,countess1 #eg ,potsdam1 #afg ,poussin's pictures1 #ci ,rape of the ,sabines1 #fi ,prater1 the1 #gg ,prville1 #de ,prince of ,wales1 the1 #ahf1 #ahg ,prussia1 ,queen of1 #afg1 #afh ,radziwill1 ,prince1 #afi ,raincy1 #dg ,raphael1 #i1 #bb ,raphael's ,madonna1 ,dresden gallery1 #ha ,rasomovski1 ,count1 #gh ,raucourt1 ,mlle41 first appearance1 #dc ,rcamier1 ,mme41 #agg1 #agh ,reimburg1 ,frederic1 his collection of pictures of ,lady ,hamilton1 #fg ,rembrandt1 #i ,repnin1 ,prince1 #ie ,reynolds1 #ahe ,richelieu1 ,duke1 #abg ,richer1 #cf ,riga1 #afe ,rivire1 ,marquis de1 #ch1 #acc1 #acd ,rivire1 ,mme4 de1 #baa1 #bad ,rohan-,rochefort1 ,princess1 #ah1 #ai ,rohan1 ,cardinal de1 #ai ,roissy1 ,mme4 de1 #ah ,romazoff1 #ij ,rombec1 ,countess de1 #gi ,rome1 palaces and churches1 #eh2 manner of lighting streets1 #ei2 general use of daggers1 #fa ,roquencourt1 #bje ,roug1 ,marquise de1 #cg ,royale1 ,mme4 #cj ,rubens1 #h1 #i1 #cb1 #cd1 #gg ,rulhires1 ,m4 de1 #ai ,russia1 rigour of climate1 #ajj1 #ajb ,russian hospitality1 #ij2 entertainments1 #ajj2 characteristics1 #ajc1 #ajd1 #aje2 servants1 #ajg1 #ajh ,saardam1 #cc ,sabran1 ,marquise de1 #cf ,sacchini1 #cf1 #de ,saint ,georges1 #ab ,saint ,huberti1 ,mme41 #de ,saint ,ouen1 #di ,salentin1 #cf ,sardinia1 ,king of1 #gf ,scaramouche1 #fj ,schoenbrunn1 ,park of1 #gh ,schouvaloff1 ,count1 #aj ,sgur1 ,count de1 #id1 #aac1 #aad1 #aae1 #agg1 #ahj ,sgur1 ,mme4 de1 #agf1 #bjb ,skavronska1 ,count1 #fd1 #fe ,skavronska1 ,countess1 #fe ,soltikoff1 ,marshall1 #adf ,soltikoff1 ,mme41 #adg1 #adh ,sombreuil1 ,m4 de1 #ec ,sombreuil1 ,mlle4 de1 #ec ,souza1 ,mme4 de1 #ba ,st4 ,angelo1 ,castle of1 #ei ,st4 ,paul's1 #eh1 #ahd ,st4 ,peter's1 ,pope's blessing at1 #eh ,st4 ,petersburg1 description of1 #ha1 #hb ,stachelburg1 ,count1 #aad ,straw ,hat1 by ,rubens1 #cd ,strogonoff1 ,baroness de1 #da1 #adf ,strogonoff1 ,count1 #hh1 #hi1 #if1 #ajc1 #ajd1 #acf1 #afa ,strogonoff1 ,mlle41 #abg ,sudermania1 ,duke of1 #aae ,suvaroff1 ,general1 #aac ,sweden1 ,king of1 #bb1 #aae ,switzerland1 journey to1 #bjd ,talleyrand1 ,baron de1 #gj ,tallien1 ,mme41 #agh ,talma1 #ch1 #dc ,the ,unwitting ,philosopher1 #dd ,tippoo ,sahib1 ,emperor1 #bd ,titian's pictures1 #gg ,todi1 ,mme41 #cf ,tuileries1 #h1 #ae ,tunbridge ,wells1 #aid ,turin1 ,mme4 ,lebrun goes to1 #gd2 filled with refugees from ,paris1 #gf ,tuscany1 ,grand ,duke of1 #gj ,vallayer-,coster1 ,mme41 #cd ,van ,dyck1 #i1 #cb1 #gg ,van ,loo1 painting by1 #cc ,vaudreuil1 ,m4 de1 #ci1 #dj1 #di1 #aif ,verdun1 ,mme4 de1 #cf ,vernet1 ,joseph1 #h1 #aj1 #cd ,versailles1 #cj1 #ee ,vestris1 the elder1 #de ,vien1 ,m41 #agg ,vien1 ,mme41 #cd ,vige1 ,mme4 ,lebrun's brother1 #ch ,villeroi1 ,duchess de1 #gf ,villette1 ,marquise de1 #dh ,viotti1 #cf1 #aib ,wilford1 ,sir ,a41 #aie ,windsor1 #aic ,witworth1 ,lord1 #acc1 #acd ,zelaguin1 ,island of1 #aa ,zouboff1 ,plato1 #ie1 #aef