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UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN

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AN

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VOLUME.

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SYDNEY, ILADY MOR GAIN .

AN ODD VOLUME
EXTRACTED FROM

AN

AUTOBIOGRAPHY.

BY SYDNEY LADY MORGAN.

" LEST AULD ACQUAINTANCE

BE FORGOT."

Old Scotch Soar/.

LONDON:
RICHARD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON STREET,
3~r ajr~tV,
PubTi~Tjtt in Or inar-V
1839.

toi

rTheAuthor

arnL Pubissher reserve i

themselves the right of Tuinnslating this Work.]

LONDON:

PRINTED BY WILLIAM cLOWES AND SONS, STAMFORD STREET.

PREFACE.

THE following pages are the simple records of a
transition existence, socially enjoyed, and pleasantly
and profitably occupied, during a journey of a few
months from Ireland to Italy.
They were not written for the special purpose of
any work, but were mere transcripts of circumstances incidental to that journey, which was delayed in its progress by all that could interest the
Feelings or gratify the mind.

I lingered in this

"path of dalliance," this "delicate plain of ease"
S(as dear old Bunyan calls it), with the same careless
t

enjoyment as "Little Red Riding Hood" must
have had on her way to her granddame's hut,
pausing only to pick a flower here or a pebble
there, insensible to the proximity of the grim wolf
b

PREFACE.

vi

who was waiting to devour her.

I, like Little Red

Riding Hood, loitered to pick up a flower or secure
a pebble that lay in my way, whilst the proximity
of that grim wolf, TIME, which sooner or later
devours all things, was unheeded.

But the flower

gathered still retains its fragrance for me, and the
pebble, like the scarabaeus found among the antique
rubbish of Egyptian tombs, bears the divine impress
of genius.
During what was then deemed a perilous journey
to Italy, I followed up my old habit of occasional
diary; and one still older and dearer, a constant
correspondence
These

with

homestead

my dear

letters-these

and only sister.
rapidly-scrawled

diaries, written "a saute et a gambade," form, I believe, the materiel portion of this volume.

The

more spirituel and interesting part will be found in
the letters of some of the most eminent men and
women of the times they illustrated

by their

genius, their worth, their cultivation of letters,
and their love of liberty.
Egotism is the sin of autobiography, and vanity
naturally takes the pen to trace its dictation.

The

PREFACE.

vii

vanity, or, to give its better name, the pride with
which I give these letters to the public, with the
permission of, alas ! the few survivors, and the con*currence of those most interested in their posthumous reputation, is attributable to the enduring
friendship and support with which the writers
honoured me, foremost among whom

I

place

General La Fayette, Baron IDnon, and Catherine,
Countess of Charleville.
The genuineness of the little work lies in this
irrefragable testimony of the autograph letters,
from which uncopied they have been printed;
amongst the rest my letters to my sister, which,
frivolous

and domestic as women's

letters generally

confidential

are, convey some idea of the

habits, times, and manners when they were composed.

There they are!

records of the passage

of more years than I am willing to reveal, with
their old horrible postmarks of two-and-sixpence
and two-and-tenpence

(which now

would be a

penny a head), or the franks
"By many a statesman, many a hero scrawl'd;"

and it is only due to the patience of the printers

PREFACE.

viii

and their devils to acknowledge the difficulties they
have had to overcome.
"Little do the landsman know
What we poor seamen undergo!"

My original intention was to publish an autobiography from my starting-point on a certain
Christmas Day-an anniversary I this day celebrate :
but failing health and failing sight have delayed
the undertaking; to assist in which, however, my
late dear brother-in-law, Sir Arthur Clarke, made
me the following proposition.

The letter bears

such an impress of genuine good-will and ambitious
affection, that I may be excused for giving it here
in all its original integrity, knowing myself how
warmly he championed me on to the task.
Dublin, 1854.

"MY DEAR SYDNEY,

"I HAVE made up my mind to seek for my
retiring pension, and devote myself to your service.
I am up to my eyes now, though they are not
quite well in' Moore's Memoirs,' in which I take
great interest; but °every page I read makes me
wish that our own Wild Irish Girl would sit down
and dictate her own memoirs, (if she cannot write

PREFACE.

ix

them,) which nobody living but herself can do.
I now offer myself for her amanuensis, when my
retiring pension will enable me to withdraw from
professional business.

Why should you not reap

the benefit of the most amusing work you ever
published, and what might bring large profits,
not only without working the brain for new inventions, but merely stating the old facts?

Your

European correspondence with many of the most
celebrated characters of the age for literature and
I have no talent for

rank must be all arranged.

writing, but I think I have an organ for condensing and arrangement.

You will laugh at me,

perhaps, for my vanity in thinking I could be of
any use in such an undertaking; but industry and
perseverance, which it is thought to distinguish
my habits, may assist and be useful to one of a
higher order.

Now I do hope, dear, to live to

see your life and memoirs published by yourself
and for yourself.
"Ever yours, my dearest Sydney,
"

ATHUR CLARKE."

Alas! this hope was never realised ; had it been
I should have considered it as one of the greatest

PREFACE.

advantages of my literary life.*

The death of this

dear old friend, the increasing infirmities of my
sight, and, finally, an illniess all but fatal, interfered
with my hope of producing a work, into the execution of which "the flattering world had talked
me," as Lady Townley says of her beauty.

I found

for the present I was obliged to give it up, and to
present to that dear public, which has ever been
my best friend, a promissory note, in the form of
an odd volume, which at some future day may drop
into a more important series, where I may yet be
able to wind up the confessions of "my life and
* From a Dublin Paper.
9th Nov. 1857.
SIR ARTHUR CLARKE, M.D.-Ireland has to lament the loss of this
eminent physician and philanthropist, who died on the 10th inst.,
in his eighty-fourth year. He was respected and popular with all
classes of all persuasions in Ireland, and had filled responsible professional positions under successive governments with deserved credit
and authority. Among his good works, we may mention the foundation of a Fever Hospital, of an Establishment of Baths for Sick and
Wounded Seamen, and of an Hospital for Decayed Gentility, after the
plan of the French Maisons de Sant6. Sir Arthur Clarke was married
to Sydney Lady Morgan's only sister, whom he survived. It was, we
believe, Lady Morgan who, in 1816, brought from Paris the plan of
the Maison de Sante which was established in Dublin by Sir Arthur
Clarke, under the highest patronage.
One of the most useful and
popular of Sir Arthur's medical works is his Essay " On the Exhibition of Iodine in Tubercular Consumption "-a treatise which reached
ten editions. We may add that Sir Arthur Clarke had been for fifty
years a respected magistrate in his native county.

PREFACE.

xi

errors," as the old Puritans phrased it, and obtain
absolution without going into the confessional.
I cannot conclude this little appeal to the indulgence of my dear public without acknowledging the
services I have derived from the younger energies
and clairvoyance

of Miss

Geraldine

Jewsbury,

already known to the public by her own charming
works.
Christmas Day, 1858.
11, William Street, Albert Gate, Belgravia.

NOTE.-I hope I may not be accused of disrespect to my readers by
the careless simplicity of a style which the Prince de Lignd calls the
style parle'; it is the same in which I have already thrown together the
pages of the "Book of the Boudoir," and the "Book without a Name,"
-books of whose passing success I had no reason to complain.

DIARY
OF

LADY

MORGAN.

JOURNAL.

Kildare Street, Dublin,
August, 1818.

! until this blessed day we have remained
uncertain and uncomfortable about our wished-for
WELL

journey to Italy.
The indecision arises from feeling, prudence, and
precaution. I do not like to leave my dear sister in
her present delicate situation. The expense will be
enormous, and the pecuniary return is uncertain, till
at least we hear from Colburn, to whom we have
notified our intention.
The decree against my works by the French Government still hangs in terrorem over me; and the
attacks of Tory detractors in England-at the head of
whom stands the " Quarterly "-are not encouraging.
They all turn moi, pauvre che'tive, into political capital
However, we are both
in the fund of Illiberals.
B

DIARY OF

inclined (our husband and ourself) o proceed on our
mission of doing good by telling truth according to
our impressions. I, in my little way, and my dear
husband, in his more competent and useful views-in
the interests of humanity, or, at least, what we deem
to be such.
We are deep in the lore and literature of old Italy;
but we have seen no books upon it in its present state.
Eustace's elegant and classical work is still the book
of a churchman and Catholic partisan. We want to
get at living Italy as she now is, after the passage of
so many recent and important events. Still we are
somewhat nervous on the subject of such a journey
and such an enterprise. We want something to give
us an impulse and set us free from the comforts and
family intercourse of our own Irish home. It would
seem as though I had the knack of writing what is
called travels, for Colburn has brought out the third
edition of "France" within the twelve months, and
has accepted an Irish novel of extravaganza, which
shows me that I stand well "in the market"
This day's post brings us a charming letter from
General La Fayette, to cheer us on, and to assure us
that if any political annoyance awaited us in Paris, he
would be the last to tempt us over, as he has done by
his invitation to his Chateau de la Grange. He says
that Lord and Lady Holland are to come to him in
the course of the autumn; and they lie under the

LADY MORGAN.

same interdiction as ourselves, which, au reste, he
seems to consider merely a form held out to please
the Ultras, who may say to me, as the man says to the
intrusive old woman in the play, "Au plaisir de ne
vous revoir jamais !"-also a brilliant little note from
Dnon, beginning, "Venez donc, chore dr6le de corps,
tout le monde vous attend avec impatience, et moi avec
enthousiasme comme tout mon cercle." Here is the
general's letter: I pin it in, for I consider it the first
page of my compte rendu.
I am giving my last touch to "Florence Macarthy,"
which I shall leave in Colburn's hands.
I really
think it is good fun, particularly the sketch of the
"Castle Hacks ;" for last night, as Morgan was strumming over his eternal Handel, and had got as far as
"Angels ever bright and fair," and I was writing in
a scene of my Attorney Crawley-my favourite of the
whole batch of Irish originals-I laughed so heartily,
that M1organ started up exclaiming, " Good heaven,
Sydney! what is the matter ?"
"Well," I said, "Old Crawley is so droll, that I cannot help laughing." If one could only insure equal
hilarity in one's readers!
And now for packing up and packing off.

B2

DIARY OF
From General La Fayette to Sir Charles Morgan.
La Grange, 12th August, 1818.

THE last letter I received from you, my dear Sir
Charles, informed me that five weeks after the middle
of July you would be near your departure for the
Continent. This good news has caused a lively satisfaction in the colony of La Grange, which you will
find increased by a new little boy presented to us by
my daughter-in-law, and who completes the dozen of
my grandchildren. I hope that the expression, "for a
short time "-the only one in your correspondence of
which we can complain-will not be realized, and that
you will give us a long time, which will always
appear too short. You have enough to spare before
you are compelled to continue your intended route
to Italy. If I knew exactly the date of your arrival
in Paris, I would contrive to meet you at the first
moment. Write to me as soon as you are there, and
let me know your travelling arrangements, reserving,
we all beg of you, the longest possible period for La
Grange.
It affords me much satisfaction, before your departure, to dissipate your fears respecting disturbances in France, of which the political articles in your
journals have given yoi the idea. The papers in the
interest of the two parties, Ministerial and Ultra,
which dispute power with us, have excited more attention to the conspiracy in London than it has

LADY MORGAN.

produced in Paris. It seems quite true that the
Ultras have addressed themselves this year, as in the
years preceding, to foreign powers, calling for their
armed intervention in favour of the prejudices and
interests of an incorrigible minority. Very reprehensible conduct, no doubt, and against which the patriots
have a right to throw the first stone. It appears, also,
that- with the same party, and in a more important
proportion, I believe, than the small number to which
it was ostensibly confined, there has been a question
of active intrigues, and even of violent measures, to
obtain a change of ministry; while the ministry, on
their part, have not been sorry to discover in these
hostile, and more or less real projects, a means of
gaining some favour in the opinion of the patriotic
section. But you will be surprised, on arriving here,
at the tranquillity with which the French public, in
turn, regard, what your newspapers have predicted to
you as the harbingers of trouble and confusion. No
pretext will be found therein for prolonging the stay
of the foreign armies. Perhaps, ministerial influence
at the elections may not be much augmented by these
causes. At all events, this conspiracy, and all the
others that have been spoken of, ought to have no
weight whatever in your travelling plans, or in your
anxiety for Lady'Morgan.
I see with pleasure that you are well satisfied with
Ours will soon come on, at least
your elections.

DIARY OF

for the division of the Chamber of Deputies. The
actual state of our exceptional laws relative to the
press, of our jurisprudence with regard to personal
liberty, and of our administrative system under the
relations of ministerial influence, give the government
so much advantage, that it is difficult to foresee what
will be the isolated chances of the independent opposition. Those of the Ultras are extremely weak. I
cannot look on the European elections-on those of
France, sometimes confined to two classes, and sometimes to the ratepayers of three hundred francs; on
yours, divided between corrupt pollings and tumultuous assemblages, to the exclusion of many principal
towns-without admiring the progress of American
civilisation. In fact, throughout the United States,
the right of universal suffrage to all who pay the
smallest tax, so appalling for your most ardent patriots, is exercised on all occasions by thinly-scattered populations, as well as in the crowded capitals,
without leading to the slightest commotion or embarrassment.
I know not whether you received, in time for your
third edition, some observations which Dr. Montegre
undertook to submit to you. He is not appreciated
in this country. Allow me to repeat to you how
much I feel touched and flattered by the additional
note you have had the kindness to send me. You
ask for information respecting a work which merited

LADY MORGAN.

your interest. Alas! the amiable authoress, Lady
Morgan's correspondent, has been taken from her
friends; and amongst the many regrets of which she
is the deserving object, none have been more acutely
felt than mine. Her unfortunate husband has gone
to the distant provinces. Her intimate friend remains
in Paris. I believe that both will be there when you
arrive. I shall hasten to introduce them to you.
They will be able, much better han I, to answer a
question which, during the last melancholy days, it was
impossible to put to them.
All my family desire me to convey to Lady Morgan
and yourself the sentiments of gratitude, attachment,
and impatience to see you again, with which they are
impressed. We had flattered ourselves with a long
visit; allow us still to retain the expectation. We
hope that "Florence Macarthy," the "Sketches," and
the Third Edition will accompany you. Accept both,
with your usual goodness, the expression of tender
and grateful friendship which my heart has devoted
to you.
LA FAYETTE.

August.--This morning, as I was on my knees, all
dust and dowdyism, comes the English post-old
Colburn--no ! not old at all, but young, enthusiastic
Colburn, in love with "Florence Macarthy," and
little epris with the author! " Italy, by Lady Mor-

a

DIARY OF

gan !" he is "not touched but rapt," and makes a dashing offer of two thousand pounds-to be printed in
quarto like "France "-but we are to start off immediately, and I have "immediately" answered him in
the words of Sileno in "Midas ""Done ! strike hands-

I take your offer,
Further on I may fare worse,"

Morgan, of course, consenting; he is, in fact, charmed.
How he will come out with his Dante and Tasso!
above all, with his favourite Macchiavelli, of whom
he has been longing to give a new reading, the
very reverse of generally-received opinions. For me,
I must rub up my Goldoni, and flirt and flutter with
Pastor Fido and Metastasio.
Alas! that money should have so much influence
over our noble intentions! Knowledge power? not
a bit of it!

Money is power ; it subsidises all powers,

and
--

"rules the court, the camp, the church

;"

that is our improved reading on the twaddle "grove."
Oh, but intellect ? Philanthropy ? C'est Jgal.
And so we start on our expensive pilgrimage, not
dropping a bead, nor muttering a prayer, nor fixing
"a scallop on our hat before" after the manner of
pilgrims, but looking out for a comfortable travelling
carriage; for I hear that travelling in Italy is beyond
everything desolate and unaccommodated-worse even

LADY MORGAN.

than a journey to Connemara, where people still travel
by the stars.
But my poor darlings in Great George Street ! how
am I ever to leave them? My dearest sister's present
situation fills me with doubts and fears, and throws a
cloud over the otherwise sunny prospect before us; but
if I go on in this way I shall never start. Journalising
is a dangerous temptation to the garrulity of women.
One reason why they love their doctors and confessors
is, that that they are allowed to alk to them "a cceur
ouvert et a langue deli6e" also !-a journalrepresents
both.
Diary.-Well, I have taken my last leave of my
darlings in Great George Street. I put my brotherin-law in our secret ; but my blessed Olivia suspected
nothing. She wanted me to go up to the nursery as
usual, but I refused on plea of fatigue.
"And can I leave my pretty doxies ?"

Dear little toddles! I am sure that nepotism is an
organic affection in single and childless women ; it is a
maternal instinct gone astray. In popes and princes
it is a frustrated ambition, a substitute for paternity.
It is a dangerous tendency. Aunts and uncles never
love wisely, but too well; besides it brings with it
responsibilities without authority, and imposes duties
without giving rights.
And so bye-bye, babies!
* For thirty years the residence of Sir Arthur and Lady Clarke.

10

DIARY OF
From Lady Charleville on receiving a new edition of " France."*
June 30th, 1818.

THERE are not many so pleasant moments in life

as those where past and pleasant feelings are renewed
with an increase of whatever gave birth to them; and
though, perhaps, it may be that this arises in some
degree from the self-complacency of having not originally judged wrong, yet, for the sake of the warmer
and kindlier natures, I will aver, in your case, that I
am delighted with the great and important progress in
literature-in thinking, in style, in grace and playfulness (where they might embellish a desultory subject),
for your own sake and for my country's.
I have just received your note, and I have long
finished the work.
I do not pretend to deserve any one of the materials
for criticism you ascribe to me; but eight years'
residence in France with a large portion of literary
people perhaps entitles me to the sort of tact I may
possess to judge of French people and French ways;
and the unceasing interest I have felt from first to
last in the great events affecting them the last thirty
years since I quitted the country, has prevented my
deciding in the superficial manner I often hear done
concerning them.
* Finding this note, I cannot resist giving it in this place, although it is
a little ante-dated, as I well recollect the cheer it gave me, coming as it
did at the moment when the reviews were at their blackest and bitterest
against~me. They were the paid hirelings of party : this is the testimony
of a noble and independent mind.

LADY MORGAN.

11

To conclude: your work charms me; it breathes a
fair spirit of philanthropic inquiry and observation of
facts and effects, most interesting to every friend of
humanity. The style is clear and nervous, and at the
same time playful, and suited in its tone to the lighter
matter, though the graver observations are given en
philosophe. I think the writing as excellent as the
materials are interesting and well digested. I would
not intrude all this on you, but that you tell me you
have not heard from home, and therefore to know the
impression it must make and has made is satisfactory.
Yet of course it will not be let to glide down the
stream without opposition; but that is no matter:
the river broken by rocks and shallows is more beautiful than the torpid, smooth, glassy lake, all points of
which are equally uninteresting. I honour the manly
instructive writing, and the knowledge conrmunicated
in the Appendix. I already observed what is there said
on torture, and I supposed it is more critically exact
than I was; as, living at the time in the old Duke
of Nivernois' house, with his daughter, the Duchess of
Coss6, I heard only of the praises bestowed on the fact
of his (Louis XVI.) having abolished the question ordinaire and extraordinaire,&c.
I believe as to the nursing, that, in the provinces
(where I was almost entirely), suckling was as
universal as it is now in England; but I doubt not

12

DIARY OF

the fact of Paris fine ladies having adopted it but
partially. I am sure Jean Jacques thought right on
this subject, at least; but I am not equally certain
that many a poor infant has not suffered by the
exchange from robust peasants' milk to fine ladies'.
What a dreadful thing it is if your book be cut and
garbled by those vile inspectors of a trammelled press,
for I really hoped some solid good might arise therefrom, seeing how liberally and how justly an Englishwoman could appreciate their good qualities and account for their errors. It seems to me, on the whole,
that you are the only foreigner who has entered into
the spirit of the people. Better, tenfold, than any
Scott, Williams, or, in short, any of those writers who
have fallen in my way.
As I live here so much, I should rejoice in your
doing so; but to give up a place under government,
and probably established practice in Dublin, seems
adventurous. That you should be on the spot at the
time when your books are printing is true and obvious. As to society, there you will gain much, but
for that very reason you will write less.
The pours and contres are before you. May the
path you choose lead you to honourable distinction
and fortune ! and that you may enjoy both in health
and the happiness of domestic, confiding attachment, is
the sincere wish of your very faithful servant,
C. M. CHARLEVILLE.

LADY MORGAN.

13

P.S.-Mr. Lewis is abroad. His sisters* have published disgraceful nonsense, because it is stupid. Sir
William Gell I did not see often before his departure;
he has got ridiculed about royalty, and Lord C. didn't
like hm. Lady Cork says she will have Talma tomorrow night (who is in London on a visit), and is
growing old in active dissipation, and too completely
occupied by the number and names of the haut ton invitations for me. I like, if I was able for it, the coup
d'ceil well enough; but the deep and eternal plans and
counterplans for the repetition of a scene so seldom productive of a real hour's amusement, tire me to death.
My children are at your feet, and I hope will all know
you well and enjoy your approbation.-C. M. C.

To Lady Clarke (my sister) at Great GeorgeStreet, Rutland Square, Dublin.

MY

DEARS ALL-

Holyhead.

AND, above all, my darling Olivia-be of good

cheer, though we have had a bad passage. Did not
get into Holyhead till near midnight, and had not the
benefit of excellent Captain Skinner's convoy. He met
us, however, as we got out of the packet, and wanted
us to go home and sup with him, which of course we
didn't, but were made very comfortable at our dear old
inn.
* These conscientious ladies, frightened at the heterodoxy of their brother's
works, wrote a pamphlet to assure the public they did not participate in
his opinions. Like Sir T. Robinson, who, when called on to deny being
the author of" Junius," began his exculpation-" This is to scratify," &c.

14

DIARY OF

I am so upset by sickness that Morgan is determined
we shall not proceed on our long journey to-morrow;
but my greatest anxiety, dearest Olivia, is for you. I
shall expect a letter at Colburn's on my arrival in
London, so do not fail. This evening was so beautiful
after the stormy night that we walked to dear Penrs :*
it was really a pilgrimage to the shrine of a patron
saint. This is the first time I arrived at Holyhead
without the hope of seeing my dear Lady Stanley
standing at her own gate, with Sir John onone side
and Susanne on the other, with her lady's shawl and
dog. The gates were now closed, and all looked
gloomy and desolate. The family are, however, expected, and much as I admire the present Lady
Stanley, no one can ever replace my dear old friend.
We start at daybreak to-morrow for Shrewsbury,
but Morgan will not let me stop an hour to see my
uncle, we are so pressed for time. En avant is now our
motto; so, God bless you all, my dear darlings, for my
heart is very full. Morgan kisses you and the babies
tenderly, and begs you will let him know soon whether
he is an uncle or an aunt.
S.

M.

Diary.-London,August, 1818.-We left Dublin in
more than usually low spirits on such occasions; my
poor sister still painfully and patiently expecting her
* Lady Stanley of Penr6s, mother of the late, and grandmother of the
present Lord Stanley of Alderley, one of my earliest and truest friends.

LADY MORGAN.

15

mauvais quart d'heure. What a penalty and what a
distinction that the most important incident in the
great scheme of the creation should have fallen to
the lot of the feeblest and finest organisation !
I dined with them, but concealed the fact that we
were to sail that evening; and so I spared the painful
formalities of parting for an indefinite time.
A very bad voyage to Holyhead: a tedious land
journey, and we arrived in London-drove to lodgings
in Conduit Street taken for us by Colburn to be near
him, as I have still some of "Florence Macarthy" to
write, and proofs to correct.
Immediately after our arrival, we despatched the
kind Duke of Leinster's letter to his brother-in-law,
Lord Kinnaird,'who was to give us letters for Italy,
where he resides with his family.
Italy ! Est-ilpossible that I am going to Italy ?
Lord Kinnaird answered the letter in person this
morning. Oh, what a charming man! After all there
is nothing so charming as an Englishman when he is
charming (" cosa rara"); he is the real thing, and
no mistake. However, when I return from Italy, "I
will," as Sir Benjamin Backbite says, "tell you more
another time."
Lord Kinnaird said, in answer to some of our rather
apprehensive suggestions, "Leinster desires me to
give you letters for Italy, but it is quite unnecessary;
you are better known there through your work on

16

DIARY OF

France, which, entre nous, just now suits their book,
than you are at home. Do you speak Italian ?" "Oh
yes," said Morgan; "the Italian of Tasso and Metastasio." "That will do to begin with," said he, laughing ; "but your Italian valet de place will get you up a
language more to your purpose." We said we did not
think of starting from France for a month, where we
had so many friends, notwithstanding our proscription
by Louis des Huitres. "Come," he said, "you ought
not to complain at being put on the same list with
Lord Holland. My brother Douglas is going to see
Byron, and I return immediately to Milan, where I
have left Lady Olivia and my family ;" and so with his
pleasant sans adieu and au revoir at Milan he took his
leave. I asked Morgan why he did not request letters
to Byron. " I don't want to know him." "What!
the writer you adore beyond all others, and whose
books you read every night like your Breviary ?"
"Yes, but I don't wan't to know him personally." I
knew the bout de fil and said nothing, but laughed in
my sleeve-God forgive me!
My note and card to Melbourne House were answered by a note and basket of fruit from Lady Caroline, who is at Brockett. What a true heart and what
a fanciful head! She is to be in town immediately.
We dined yesterday at Colonel Roderic M'Neil's,
the Laird of Barra. He came in from some review as
Colonel of the Guards in full costume, and looked

LADY MORGAN.

17

splendid.
His brother-in-law, the divine Charles
Brownlow, was of the party. He is worthy of a
conversion to liberalism, and I intend to try my
hand on him when I return. He will be won by
pathos and sentiment, "but never through reason.
Pretty Jane M'Neil, and Lord and Lady Darnley, the
aunt and uncle of the party, were there. Fine types
of the Whig aristocracy of England; for they came
into Ireland with Cromwell, where they obtained immense property, but have returned to Ingland with
all the old prepossessions with which they had started
two hundred years before ! Race and temperament go
for so much in influencing opinion! It has struck me
here that the Tory ladies are more Celtic, and have
more poetry about them: they are frisky and confident
in their present political supremacy. I had a clinical
study of them at Stanmore Priory.*
We have delayed our departure from necessity; we
wait for our passport for Miss Florence M'Carthy;
and Morgan declares his "Philosophy of Life" cannot
stand against the tedium of the delay.

MY

DEARS ALL,

To Lady Clarke.
8, Conduit Street, Hanover Square,
August, 1818.

I DESPATCHED you my despatch to inform you of
our safe arrival two or three days back, which I trust
* The seat of the Marquis of Abercorn.
C

18

DIARY OF

you got safely. We found a packet of pleasant letters
waiting for us at Colburn's-your most cheerful and
cheering one the most welcome of all. The announcement of our arrival in London (a puff, I am sure, by
Colburn) has brought down upon us a flock of friends,
great and small; and London is not, as I expected,
burned out! First amongst the first was that truly
dear and constant friend, Lady Arran: handsome
Flora M'Leod came with her ladyship. She brought
me a very kind message from her daughter, Lady
Cecilia, and her husband, Sir George, to request we
would join a family party at tea in the evening. We
were delighted to do so. I longed to hear something
of the Priory family, and a more detailed account of
the illness and death of poor Lord Abercorn than
Bowen sent us in his short letter; so we went to
Cumberland Place early. We found Lady Cecilia
and Sir George, Lady Arran and Lady Isabella, and
Mr. Douglas-Lady Arran looking as pretty as her
daughters, though Lady Cecilia is improved beyond
everything you can imagine, and Lady Isabella all
bloom and good looks. It is curious that we had
none of us met since we were married. We only
wanted the Hon. Mrs. Browne, who was married
about the same time, when, lo! she entered with her
mother, the beautiful Lady Elizabeth Monck, another
of the charming clan Arran, who for grace and beauty,
when they were in their prime, could not have been

LADY MORGAN.

19

matched in Europe. Lord Arran ought to have had
some prize for the specimens of physical perfection he
gave to the world in his daughters.
Sir George is good-humoured and courteous, though
a petit diable boiteux in person. It was a marriage de
convenance on the part of Lady Cecilia, to please her
family (for he is old enough to be her father); but she
looked as happy as if it had been made to please herself. Sir George is enormously rich, and she has as
fine diamonds as any duchess in the land, par compensation. Oh, those diamonds! We were in the midst of
some Dublin cancan when the door opened, and His
Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex was announced.
Grand mouvement! We all rose up, and then all sat
down. Morgan and myself were presented to him:
the rest were old acquaintances. The duke kept up a
pleasant bantering conversation with me on the subject
of my work on France, not agreeing with me in many
of my opinions, occasionally appealing to Morgan, and
saying many civil things on his part of the work,
which pleased me more than any eloge he could have
given on mine. "But, sir," interrupted Lady Cecilia,
"do tell us something about the royal wedding now;"
and Lady Arran pressing him close, and wanting to
learn details, he said, "Why, ma'am, you did not
expect me to have stayed for the wine-posset and the
throwing of the slipper ?" At which we all threw
down our eyes, and affected prudery. His royal
c2

DIARY OF

highness, I thought, looked grave, and said, after a
pause, " A wedding is no joke, and least of all a royal
one." He probably thought of his own marriage, recently broken, and the similar position of his brother,
still, perhaps, devoted to the mother of his beautiful
children. "How did the duke look, sir ?" said Lady
Arran. " Humph," said he, " not very brilliant." "And
the Duchess of Clarence, sir," said Lady Cecilia; "is she
as plain as is reported ?" "Quite," said the Duke of
Sussex, emphatically; "but so amiable and gentle:
her goodness is unmistakeable." He then, I thought,
rather hastily threw off the subject, and talked to
Morgan on French politics. We were all chatting
entre loup et chat, and more people had dropped in,
when the grands battants of the back drawing-room
were thrown open, and exhibited an interior brilliantly
lighted, with a card-table on one side, and a buffet
with refreshments of all sorts on the other. The
Duke, Sir George and Lady Cecilia, and Lady Arran
The Douglases and ourselves
sat down to cards.
attacked the buffet, and chatted of our Priory days;
and so we parted, they for Argyll House, to inquire
for his sister, Lady Aberdeen, who is not well, and we
for home, and a pull at the proofs of "Florence
M'Carthy." But I must not toss off my royal duke
without giving you my impressions of him. In person, sensual; like his brothers, full and florid, his voice
alternating continually from a soprano to a deep bary-

2

LADY MORGAN.

21

tone. He seems eminently intellectual, unaffected, and
kind.; he is also a thorough-bred gentleman, which is
not what can be said of all princes.
I send this in a frank of Mr. Courtnay's, who walked
to see us the other day with his dear little boy.
And so, dears, good-bye.
S. M.
Lady Cork has found us out. I send you a note of
hers, which reminds one of "Arlequin ambassadeur,"
-" Sire, voila mes depeches, et voila mes contresdepeche."

A VERY, very agreeable man dines with me on
Sunday, the 4th. Will you and your spouse honour
my poor board that day? But do not mention your
coming, for I profess never to see company upon the
Sabbath. We shall be only a snug party: Morgans,
two ; Carlisle,

one;

self, one ; friends, three.

Fool that I am ! 1 forgot I was engaged on the 4th.
It must be Saturday, the 3rd, that you must dine here.
Say Yes.
Yours,
MARY CORK AND ORRERY.
From the Baron Denon to Lady Morgan.
Paris, 1818.
DEAR GOOD CHILD,

MR. DALTON has handed to me your letter. From
the pleasure I have felt in reading it, I judge how ill-

22

DIARY OF

considered it is to remain so long without writing to
those we love; but this is really your own fault. It
is you who have created my cabinet a la mode, which
occupies my entire morning; the evening I give up to
parties, and all this without any advantage. You were
contented there, because you had a friendship for me,
and we chatted together so delightfully, that we always
parted with mutual satisfaction. But we do not chat
with everybody, which makes people say, "Is this all
we are asked for? It is a silly, thoughtless woman
who has deceived us." But, after all, dear friend, we
are not the less worthy, nor shall we be the less
charmed to see you again. I never doubted the attraction of your last work: you have a wonderful faculty
of drawing from nature, and all your pictures are perfect; but I am delighted that you have sold them
well. The money derived from our works is our most
exclusive property, and that which we value the
highest. Remember that you owe me a comedy. This
is the road to the highest celebrity, particularly in
your country, where the ground is scarcely cleared.
We will debate this subject on the days when we are
inclined to talk rationally. You will find all here your
friends. You will only have to allow others to come,
and the number will increase, for all will seek you.
The great secret is not to appear anxious for celebrity, and to possess real merit. It is true this is not
practised by all the world. People are beginning to

LADY MORGAN.

23

forgive your work here, and to render it justice. You
are abused, but purchased, in English.
You see,
therefore, that your affairs are not going badly.
I took a liking to M. Dalton at first, from all that
he said to me. You will find everything here as you
left it, and we shall now begin to talk of expecting
you. The amiable idler, who loves you sincerely, is
always determining to write when I do; but I fear I
shall betray her this time.
I hope the serious labour of the work on which Sir
Charles is engaged has not made him lose any of his
delightful cheerfulness, and that we have many pleasant evenings in store, and shall invent some good
charades.
Adieu, dear friend. That my letter may reach you,
it is necessary I should finish, and send it to the post.
I still hope to receive a letter from you before your
departure from Dublin. I love you with all my
heart.
DENON.

Diary, August. -If there is anything more delightful than another to witness, it is the spontaneous outbreak of a good and kind heart, which, in serving and
giving pleasure to others, obeys the instinctive impulse
of a sanguine and genial disposition-waiting for no
rule or maxim-not opening an account for value expected-doing unto others what you wish them to do

24

DIARY OF

unto you. This, in one word, is Lady Caroline Lamb;
for if she does not always act wisely for herself, she
generally acts only too well towards others. On hearing of our arrival in town, her first self-indulgence was
to send us a basket of fruit and flowers; the next was
to invite us to Brockett Hall; and finding we could not
go, she overlooked all inconveniences of her London
house at this season-carpets up and curtains downshe had her couchette put up in one of the sittingrooms at Melbourne House, and there she is stopping
whilst we remain, with no other motive than to be of
use to us. Since I first made her acquaintance, before
my marriage, this has been invariably her conduct
towards me. Here is her first note:Sunday, Brockett Hall.

MY DEAR LADY MORGAN,

any day you like this week, and I will
drive up and see you; but if it is as hot as to-day I
think I should like to set out at six, to be with you
at nine in the evening. I have no house or bed, and
shall either come back here or go to an hotel. Pray
bless Miss Spence's eyes with your presence while
you are in town, as she has raved about your coming.
Oh! that I could prevail upon you to come here for
one day-it is a paradise, and full of flowers and fruit :
NAME

-it

only wants inhabitants.
Yours most sincerely,
CAROLINE

LAMB.

LADY MORGAN.

25

We expressed a wish to see "Faust "-the great
attraction just now. We might have had a fairy godmother, for this note came directly after she left.
Come early I beg you, for they
say "Faust" is beautiful. I will leave word at the
door-it is the private door near the king's box. Ask
for the king's box, and they will show you the door;
then ask for me in the Duke of Devonshire's box.
I am certain you will find no difficulty. Will your
very interesting-looking friend come? She is like
Miss O'Neill-I like her countenance much-and tell
MIND the opera.

Sir Charles I am enchanted with his aunt. I had a
great mind to ask her blessing-" Bless me, even me,
also," when she was about it. Had I been like her, I
should have looked on beauty as a hussy.
Ever yours,
CAROLINE LAMB.

You must all come and sup with me to-night, to
show Sir Charles my room.

Whilst with us in the morning, she had met my
husband's aunt-a very fine old lady, and with quite
as much character as herself. Lady Caroline had been
much struck with her. It amused me to see them
side by side-the lady of supreme London ton, and
the wealthy old lady de province, who has more than

DIARY OF

26

once turned the scale of an election, and who boasts
of her illustrious race as being descended from Morgan
the buccaneer and "sister to the brave General
Morgan in India." She told Lady Caroline she had
never married because she would not give any man a
legal right over her ; nor would she have any but women
in her house (boarding her men-servants at the hotel).
A gang of housebreakers having broken into her house
at Grantham in the middle of the night, she went
alone to discover what was the matter, and found a
man getting in at the window. She caught him by the
leg, and held him long enough to make herself sure of
recognising him. He was taken, tried, and hanged
at the county town on her evidence. The gentlemen
of the town had advised her, as a matter of prudence,
to refuse to prosecute, as she was a lone maiden lady,
and would be a mark for the revenge of the rest of the
gang. "Be it so," said she; "but justice is justice, and
the villain shall be hanged !" Nobody ever molested her
afterwards.
The contrast between the lisping, soft
voice of Lady Caroline, and the prim, distinct tones of
the old lady was curious and amusing.
To Lady Clarke.

MY

OWN

DEAR

Conduit Street, August, 1818.

OLIVIA,

HERE I am seated in very nice apartments, cheek
by jowl with Morgan, who is writing to Clarke on

LADY MORGAN.

27

subjects political and medical, having despatched our
despatches to Colburn for the day I hope, being
twenty pages of proofs. But here is a changement
de de'eoration! We are not to start for France for a
fortnight; that is, until I leave the whole of my MS.
of "Florence Macarthy" in Colburn's hands. Part of
it is not yet written. His reader is charmed with it,
and he himself is in extasy with his third edition of
" France." Meantime, having signed and sealed for
the future "Italy," he will not let me allude to it
now, or take up my mind with any subject but my
Irish heroine. Colburn, as usual, has indulged his
puffing vocation by sending our arrival to the
"papers," as if anybody cared about it. This has
brought down a shower of visiting-cards and notes to
to me.
"I once more take the road, the hour of attack approaches,
Hark ! I hear the sound of coaches !"

two tall footmen
Lady Charleville's the first -her
actually looking in at our drawing-room windows
from behind the carriage. I ran down to her, and
she insisted on my going with her to Grosvenor
House, to meet Sir Thomas Lawrence in the Picturegallery. I was delighted with the opportunity, never
having seen him since I was at the Priory: so I sent
up for my hat and scarf, and off we went. We had a
charming conversation chemin faisant. The Charlevilles have exchanged their maisonette in Berkeley

DIARY OF

28

Square for Queensberry House, Piccadilly, and, with
their usual kindness, have invited us to two dinners
and one rout whilst we remain. She is not only
the truest and best of friends, but, to my mind,
one of the first of women. She is, however, a Tory,
or at least an aristocrat, whilst I, God save the mark,

amYour poor, affectionate sister,

S. M.
P.S.-Among the calls here to-day are cards from
Lady Besborough, Lady C. Lamb, Lady De Ameland
(Duchess of Sussex), and lots of men-the Hammonds
all out of town, and the Sollys off for Paris, as are
the M'Neils, &c.
To Lady Clarke.
August 26th, 1818, Conduit Street.
MY

DEAREST

LiVY,

I THOUGHT it best not to write to you for some

days past, that I might have something to tell worth
reading; but events have so crowded on me en attendant, that I scarce know where to begin. We live in
a sort of tornado between business and pleasure, and
my head literally turns round. Our reception here is,
beyond all expectation, delightful, and my poor muchabused" France" (in reviews and newspapers), so far
from operating against us, has made us more noticed
than ever. All my old great friends are still in town,

LADY MORGAN.

29

and have come forward to make London delightful,
and I have been presented to lots of new ones. The
Duchess of Leinster was one of the first who called on
me. Unfortunately I was out, but I saw her and
spoke to her a moment at the Opera: she is grown
thin, but still pretty. The Dowager Lady Cork
almost lives with us, or rather we with her. Her
most curious and beautiful house is in the next street,
and every morning I am sure to have a note from
"Mary Cork and Orrery,"* brought by an elfin page.
She takes us about everywhere, and makes parties
for us of all sorts of colours-pink, blue, gray, and a
colour I have supplied her with (not from the rainbow), dun-ducketty mud colour-I must explain.
She said to me one day, "My dear, I have pink for
the exclusives, blues for the literary, gray for the
religious-at which Kitty Birmingham, the Irish saint,
presides-for I have them all in their turns; then I
have one party of all sorts, and I have no colour for
it." " Oh," said I, " call it ' dun-ducketty mud
colour.' She laughed, and adopted it. I must send you
some of her notes, for they are impayable. With all
her oddity, she is good-nature itself. A wealthy and
bachelor friend of Morgan's, his godfather by-the* Her mode of signature led to a funny quid pro quo the other day.
She wrote to an upholsterer in the city, to send her some expensive
meuble that had caught her eye en passant in his shop. His answer was"D. B. not having any dealings with M. Cork and Orrery, begs to have a
more explicit order, finding that the house is not known in the trade."

30

DIARY OF

by, Mr. Const, has a box at the
hopera, which he has
lent me while I remain in town.
We went last
Tuesday, and took Lady Susan Douglas, and sweet
Lucy Drew, her daughter, whom I think you saw at
Lady Susan is sister to Lady
Lord Cloncurry's.
De Ameland.
As the Duke and Duchess of Clarence were there,
the house was full and brilliant, but the women were
The
nothing to compare in beauty with Dublin.
opera was very bad, but the sole lustre with which it
was lighted with gas (I believe for the first time) was
beyond all description, and well worth going any distance to see. In spite of its beauty and brilliancy,
the women are outrageous about it, as they declare it
makes them all look frights. The Duchess of Clarence, in this respect, leaves all competitorship behind.
We stood near her in the cloaking-room for five minutes, so that even Morgan could see her, who sees
nothing. Her skin is yellow, her hair lemon-colour,
her eyes pink, and her features sharp. She looked
timid, poor thing, but curtseyed very gracefully when
" God save the King" was played a son intention, and
applied to her honour by the audience. His handsome royal highness honoured me with a salute of recognition, in memory, I suppose, of our, conversation at
Harrington House, years ago. The duchess, an Albino
in appearance, is an angel in character, although
"angels were not painted fair to look like her."

LADY MORGAN.

31

The next night was one of Lady Charleville's conversaziones. There was the Rev. Mr. Milman there,
author of "Fazio," the play ? la mode,-which he
might be himself, if he chose to take the trouble;
but he was retiring, and kept in the background,
where, however, many sought him. My old crony,
Mrs. Opie, was there, en grand costume as usual,
and lots of grandees, ambassadors, and ambassadresses,
&c. My hero of the night, however, was Jekyll,
the wit par excellence, but always so much pleasanter
than wits generally are, particularly as he made my
"France" the subject of his conversation. He told
me he was at Lord Sheffield's when the book came
out, the circle chiefly consisting of the Ministerial
people; and the sensation it made among them was
very curious: and even old George Rose said he
could not let it out of his hands till he had read it
through; "and," added Jekyll, "what was comical, he
said, with a dry air, ' and I believe in my heart every
word of it is true.'" But what pleased me most was,
that he said Morgan's Appendix had opened the eyes
of many, for people had known so little of the interior
of France till lately; and what he, Morgan, had said,
were considered as things of authority by all parties,
as they were evidently written with great temperance
and simplicity.
" As for the 'Quarterly Review,'"
said Jekyll, "that, instead of exciting, has damped
party prejudice against you, and by none was it more

32

DIARY OF

cried down than by some of the Ministerialists themselves; in fact, they are ashamed of it."
This was all curious, coming from the personal
friend of the Regent, which Jekyll is. He is certainly the most delightful creature I ever met, partly,
perhaps, because he flatters me up to my bent, and
partly because he is delightful. He was very inquisitive about the Irish bar, and so, being in high fun, I
thought I would amuse him a little by parading the
whole Irish system of things before him, and particularly the attempted degradation of the Irish bar by
the Government: and I made him laugh not a little
at the expense of the Counsellors O'Shaughnessy, &c.,
&c.; but the anecdote of the dialogue between the
Chief Baron O'Grady and his brother Darby, the
Secretary, muttered before the whole court, nearly
You remember it, "Be aisy, you
killed him!
omadaun !"* but though I had many auditors, I
* An anecdote, forgotten now, but only one of the many which occurred
every day in the Irish courts. The Chief Baron O'Grady had for his
secretary his brother Darby, who, sitting under him, occasionally threw
back his head to communicate some fact or incident of the moment. One
day, seeing a very handsome girl brought into court as a witness, he looked
up at his brother, and muttered, loud enough to be heard, "Chief! there's
a colleen for ye !"(Irish for a handsome girl.) The chief justice, assuming
a solemn look, stooped down his head as though communicating an
important fact to his secretary, and retorted, "Be aisy, ye omadaun !"
Darby O'Grady-a very humorous and agreeable member of Dublin
society, and the hero of many mots not unworthy of record-smuggled
himself one day to the top of the dinner-table, next to the Right Honourable Robert Peel, who was dining with Darby's brother, the chief baron, and
had just arrived in Ireland to take office. Mr. Peel dropped into a conversation

LADY MORGAN.

33

had none who seemed to relish my Irish nonsense so
much as a tidy little old gentleman, who was afterwards presented to me as the Vice-Chancellor! (the
"Lady Leech " of the " Morning Chronicle "). Jekyll's
rival wit, Luttrell, was not there, although one of
Lady Charleville's especial clique. He made a mot the
other night to Lady Cork, which was certainly one of
the very wittiest things ever said, but too broad to
repeat. In the days of Swift, however, it would have
been thought good fun at Lady Betty Germain's.
* The next day the dear kind Lady De Ameland came
to take me to drive out wherever I liked. We drove
first to Melbourne House. The groom of the chambers told us Lady Caroline received in her bedroom,
which turned out to be the beautiful saloon which
looks into St. James's Park. The immortal chair in
which Byron sat for his picture to Sanderson* is
fastened to the ground in the bow window. She was
lying on a couch rather than a bed, wrapped in fine
muslins, full of grace and cordiality, but more odd and
with his unknown neighbour on the subject of O'Connell's legal abilities.
"Why then, sir," said Darby, "in regard of the law he is no great things,
no more than the mare that ran for the whiskey." "But he has great
power over a jury," said Mr. Peel; "how would you explain that ?"
"Why, Mr. Peel, d'ye see-first he butthers them up, and then he slithers
them down, and then the divil himself is not equal to him." If Mr. Peel
was not satisfied with this explanation, he must at least have been
amused; and Darby's classical brogue added great piquancy to his conversation.
* This valuable picture was bequeathed to me by Lady C. Lamb, and is
now in my possessio

34

DIARY OF

amusing than ever. She embraced me with all the
cordiality of authorical sisterhood, and insisted on my
meeting her, with my husband, this evening at Almack's, for which she gave me tickets, desiring me to
send a note to Lady Besborough, Cavendish Square,
who would come to take me with her. When I hesitated, the duchess advised me not to think of refusing. She said half the fine ladies in London could not
get such a ticket a poids d'or. She mentioned Lady
Saltoun, and a great Irish lady, a friend of ours, who
is not sure whether she will acknowledge me here of
not; perhaps she will to-night-if she gets in!

All this was said apart, whilst Lady Caroline was
examining a page, sent her by Lady Cork, of whom
more hereafter, c'est a mourir de rire.* I despatched
* Lady Cork's fading sight induced her to borrow eyes from everybody
who dropped in, in the course of the morning: I was frequently on service.
One morning she said in her peculiar way, when I asked her how she was,
"Well, child, of course I am well, but I want you to write me two notes.
I am going to get rid of my page."--" What! get rid of your pet ?"
"Don't talk, child, but do as I ask you." So I took up my pen, and
wrote under her dictation, "To the Duchess of Leeds. My dear Duchess,
this will be presented to you by my little page, whom you admired so the
other night. He is about to leave me; only fancy, he finds my house not
religious enough for him ! and that he can't get to church twice on
Sundays. I certainly am not so good a Christian as your Grace, but as to
the Sundays it is not true. But I think your situation would just suit
Ever yours, M. Cork and 0."
him, if you are inclined to take
"Now," said she, "fold that up, ard put on the address, for fear of
mistakes. Now, my dear, begin another to your friend Lady Caroline
Lamb, who, 'tis said, broke her page's head with a teapot the other day."
-"
A. Tory calumny," said I; "Lady Caroline was at Brockett the very
day the adventure was said to have happened at Whitehall." "I don't
care whether it's true or not," said Lady Cork; "a] pages are the better

'hi

.

LADY MORGAN.

35

my note to Lady Besborough according to orders, and
then Lady Cork called on us at seven, and took us to
dine at Sir George Cockerell's, the richest nabob in
London. Such a palace ! on Piccadilly Terrace. We
dined in an apartment that opened on gardens in
Hyde Park. All was luxury and splendour. The
dessert was literally an Eastern apologue-elephants,

pagodas, rajahs, forests, and flowers: it looked fabulous.
I sat next a yellow Indian judge, just arrived en
passant par St. Helena, and who offered me a written
account of his interview and conversation of two hours
with Napoleon. There was an assembly in the evening, for which, of course, we did not wait ; but, by-theby, I saw three handsome brothers all in a row, look-

for having their heads sometimes broken; now write, please: 'Dear Lady
Caroline, will you come to me to-morrow evening, to my Blue party? I
send this by that pretty little page whom you admired so, but who,
though full of talent and grace, is a little imp, who, perhaps, you may
reform, but I cannot.' (Parparenthese, the page just described as a little
saint was the "little imp" I was now desired to priner.) 'He is very like
that boy you used to take into your opera box with you, and was so
famous for dressing salad. I would not advise you to take him, if I did
not think he would suit you. Ask any one you like to my Blue soiree,
particularly Mr. Moore. Yours, in all affection, M. C. and 0.' Now, my
dear, put that up, and good morning to you." This scene was only one of
many of the same sort at which I assisted in Mary Cork and Orrery's
Bureau des affaires 6trangeres.
To me Lady Cork was always amusing and instructive, as "the Little
Dunce" of Dr. Johnson, and "the honourable and charming Miss Monckton"
of Miss Burney's Memoirs. She was a great tradition, and a most amusing
one. I have the honour of being the historian of her macaw, under the
title of "History of a Macaw of a Lady of Quality." See "Book without
a Name."

D 2

36

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ing very hautain-their name is Lygon. Lady Besborough called to pick us up, with her usual kindness
and courtesy: Lady Caroline met us at the entrance
with a beautifully-embroidered sac upon her arm.
" What have you there ?" said Lady Besborough.
"Well, dear mamma, it is a piece of very curious
rhubarb, quite like a bon-bon; I brought it to recommend it to Hartington (the Duke of Devonshire). It
will do him all the good in the world, mamma: he is
looking so ill." But the duke had not yet come, so
on we went. The great Irish lady now sailed in and
looked at me
"With eyes malign askance,"

and was passing on, when, perceiving that I was
leaning on Lady Besborough's arm, she approached to
speak to me, and I had not the heart to refuse her my
patronage! and so I bowed just as she would have
done to me at a ball at the Rotunda, when she was of
the Lady Lieutenant's" party.
I found after a little I knew many people. Mrs.
Wellesley Pole was particularly civil, and asked for
you. Mr. Cornwall, the aide-de-camp, was there.
There. was some pretty quadrille-dancing; all the
girls in gauze frocks, with ropes of satin, and tulle
flounces, and abundance of scarlet flowers on the
bottoms of the petticoats in bunches. The heads
worn in every way, but all flat, and the hair chiefly
divided down the centre to show the skull (like your

LADY MORGAN.

37

own way), and then jutting in curls behind the ears.
The Duchess of Argyll-who, with the exception of
Mrs. Fitzherbert, was the handsomest woman in the
room-had a beautiful black crop with no ornament:
the Duchess of Richmond, with the "ancient old"
castle diamonds;. and the Duchess of Rutland, beautiful as ever ; the girls and young women frightful;
more beauty in a little Dublin party than in all
London. We left it soon, though Lady Besborough
begged of us to stay to hear a little Russian girl
recite verses. However, as we had seen her dance
with a Russian boy in full Russian costume, and were
not particularly amused, we went off. This Russian
girl is an object of sentimental fashion.
She was
found amoig the heaps of slain near Moscow. She
has the face of an old Calmuc Tartar, and was dressed
in a blue and silver tunic, with a turban and feathers.
The ladies were crying "Charming !" but I never
saw such a fright. Friday (yesterday), we dined at
Lady Cork's,- with Jekyll, Lord Carhampton, and
some other famous wits and men of pleasure about
town-a most delicious day. Lord Carhampton made
Lady Cork give this dinner that he might meet me,
for he raves about "France;" and you may be sure
I was not sorry to meet the once famous Colonel
Luttrell, the opponent of Wilkes, and the victim of
Junius. He is odd, but clever and pleasant, and the
conversation was delightful. We retired after dinner

38

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to a room, opening into a curious garden, with parrots
and macaws flying about, music heard among the
trees, and rose-water spouting out of fountains, and
essences and perfumes carried in red-hot ladles by
servants, till we were enveloped in clouds of incense.
At eleven o'clock we all set off for Lady Charleville's
concert, which was deemed one of the finest things
given this year. Morgan entered the room with
Mrs. Opie on one arm and me on another. Conceive
ths formidable sight. The music (professional) was
very fine; Sir George Smart presided at the piano;
Crivelli (an heroic singer in the grand serieux) was
divine; and Ambrogetti sang all Leporello's songs
from Don Juan with exquisite humour. I think
he is the finest buffo I ever heard. * A young
lady of fashion played the harp with one hand, and
with the other the piano. The ladies of fashion
were all ready de pdmer d'aise, and Sir G. Smart
and ourselves exchanged looks o f disgust. It was
I played a little, and sang
execrable playing.
"Kate Kearney." While I was talking to Lady
Lonsdale and Lady William Bentinck, the Duchess of
Richmond came most graciously forward to salute me.
I have met her every night since I came to London,
and she has always looked kindly on me; though,
observe, she never took the least notice of me in
Ireland--indeed, I never was introduced to her. I
was presented last night to the Duchess of San Carlos,

LADY MORGAN.

39

the Spanish ambassadress, and ambassadors of all
sorts. The person that interested me most was Lady
Sarah Bunbury, the king's first passion, and once the
most beautiful woman in England: imagine a dignified though infirm old lady, stone blind; led in!
Mrs. Fitzherbert sat next me; I never saw such
lovely blue eyes. She appeared to me what I thought
her when I was a little child and saw her picturefat, fair, and forty. We have refused two invites for
to-day.

Diary-London, 1818.--Dined at Lady Cork's; and
most agreeable company: the Duchess of Sussex (or
Lady De Ameland,* comme ii vous plait,) the first by all
right, divine and human, the second by an Act of
Parliament and the Prerogative Court. Oh, these
men and their laws! so lightly made, so lightly
broken ! as passion or expediency suggest; from
Henry VIII. and his pope, before and after. Mr.
Milnes, as celebrated for his maiden oration as
"Single-speech Hamilton "t was for his; his beautiful
* The Duke of Sussex in 1793 married Lady Augusta Murray, and in
London again the same year, also at Hano'er. This marriage, in spite of
the threefold ceremonies of the church, being considered a violation of the
Royal Marriage Act, was dissolved in 1794; "but without the slightest
reflection on the honour of His Royal Highness." In 1806 the ex-duchess
assumed, by sign manual, the title of Countess De Ameland to mark her
descent from the ancient family of that name.
t 1858.-This speech was made on the proposal of peace with France
in 1808. He was offered the Chancellorship of the Exchequer, when only
twenty-three, by Mr. Perceval. George IV. offered him a seat in the

40

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wife (Miss Monckton, daughter of Lord Galway),
carrying on the hereditary connexion of Moncktons
and Milnes ; General Monckton and a young Monckton, a family party congregated under the roof of
Johnson's " little dunce "-pretty Maria Monckton;
with the addition of the amusing Sir A. Carlisle,
who entertained us with an account more amusing
than proper, of a fairy child who had been made a
show of in London, and which, after its death, he had
preserved in spirits. This caught Lady Cork's attention, and the following little dialogue ensued :
Lady Cork.-My dear Sir Anthony! will you let
me have that little curiosity to-morrow night? It
will be very curious.
Sir A.-Well, madam, I don't think she can come
on so short an invitation. She is like other lions, with
the exception of the "learned pig," who never required pressing.
Lady Cork, peevishly.-Well, but I have had the
pig, and it is a humbug. To-morrow is my "Blue"
night, and your little anatomy-what do you call her ?
-would just answer the "Blues," they are so fond of
science and that sort of thing; and then, Sir Anthony,
you would give us a little discourse, as you did at the

House of Peers, which Lord Palmerston repeated; but he refused this and
all other public honours. He was made of the true metal of the old English
great country gentleman. See Miss Burney's "Memoirs," for an account
of Lady Cork when Miss Monckton.

LADY MORGAN.

41

College of Surgeons. You will meet two reviewers
and the editor of the " Court Journal." It may be of
service to you; indeed it may, they cut up folks so !
What do you think Sir Charles Morgan ? you are a
physician.
Sir C. M.---Well, Lady Cork, Sir Anthony is so
distinguished for his own skill in "cutting up" that I
would not trust your "
reviewers" near him, for fear
of the effects of a jalousie du metier.
Lady Cork.-Well, you are both very tiresome:
clever men are so sometimes-there's Horace Smith
whom I invited for this evening particularly, and he
had the pertness to write me word he was engaged
to the elephant.
"What has your ladyship done with your Irish
saint, Kitty Birmingham ?" asked I.
" Oh, she is coming to-morrow, my' Gray 'evening."
A general titter followed, which was cut short by
Lady Cork saying, "Duchess, shall we go ?"*
In the drawing-room, whilst we were taking coffee,
the duchess drew me over to her sofa, with all her
former kindness and cordiality, and invited us to
dinner. What a noble creature she is, and looks!
She always reminds me of that beautiful description
of "La belle Hamilton" in Grammont, "grande et
gracieuse dans ses moindres mouvements." No doubt
she is the type, of her cousin once removed, Mary
* See "Book of the Boudoir," for my first party at Lady Cork's.

42

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Queen of Scots. She is, I believe, lineally descended
from the Regent Murray, and, he Scotch will have
it, nearer to the English throne than the progeny of
the Electress Sophia.
Although it was Lady Cork's "Pink night," the
rendezvous of the fashionable exclusives, we got away
as soon as Sir Charles came up, being voue's to dear
There we found an agreeable
Lady Charleville's.
party already assembled. Lady Charleville, wheeled
in her great chair from one drawing-room to another
by her handsome son, Lord Tullamore, his rich bloom
and her pale thoughtful countenance making a fine
contrast. The "two great marchionesses," lertford
and Salisbury, were there, the latter still giving her
"Sunday evenings," to which all the saints, as well as
all the sinners, were anxious to gain admission. I
met several old Priory* acquaintances, amongst others
Berkeley Craven, Mr. Mercer, who played like an angel
-of fashion-at the piano, the Rev. Mr. Milman, one
of the superfine Vernons, the Misses Fanshaw, the
eldest of whom had been gouvernante to the Princess
Charlotte of Wales, Tom Moore, who wouldn't sing till
a larger audience of pretty women were collected, we
being all in the dowager line. William Spencert was
* Stanmore Priory, the seat of John James, Marquis of Abercorn, where
my happy residence gave me the advantage of knowing so many distinguished persons, whose friendship has come down as an inheritance to the
third generation.-(1858.)
f "William Spencer may be regarded as much the representative of a

LADY MORGAN.

43

there, but I suspect he was waiting for Captain
Morris, whom I was longing to meet and to hear; but
he is so engaged at Oatlands that Mercer told me he
was sure he would not get away from his duchess of
York : "Besides," said he, "he is getting lazy; and
since his romantic passion for Mrs. Sheridan was disappointed, he is much changed. His poetical love of
wine has been reduced to too severe a practice; he
finds in everything
" ' A reason fair to fill his glass again."'

"I suppose," said Morgan,
" ' He takes to drinking ratafie,
And thinks upon Miss Bailey?'"

Lady Hertford's nieces, the fair Misses Meynell,
came in, escorted by their brother, the navy officer.
But I missed many dear old faces; Mrs. Abington,
the last fine lady of the dramatic court, not excepting
Lady Derby (Miss Farren); above all, poor Monk
Lewis, who died the victim of his own benevolence.
He visited his estates in the West Indies for the
class as John Clare or Robert Burns. The style of his verse, eminently
airy, polished, and graceful, as well as his personal qualities, combined to
render him the idol of that society, which, by common consent, we are
content to call the best. His varied accomplishments enlivened a country
house, his brilliant wit formed the delight of a dinner-table; while his
singular charm of manner, and, perhaps, of character, gave a permanency
to his social success by converting the admirers of an evening into friends
for life. The grandson of two dukes, and coming into fashion when wit and
fancy, and the higher graces of person, were most cordially welcomed by
the higher circles. Among his contemporaries were Sheridan, Moore,
and Byron."-Recollections of a Literary Life, by Mary Russell Mitford.

DIARY OF

44:

express purpose of liberating, or at least ameliorating,
the condition of his slaves. He failed, and his health
broke down under the disquietude and opposition
which he experienced there. He died on deck, in
his passage back. His last act was to write on the
crown of his servant's hat a request to his heirs that
they would add three holidays yearly to those
already enjoyed by his slaves. As he could not give
them their rights, he tried to multiply their enjoyments.
Hle was the founder of the dramatic school of novel
writing-the novel of action since developed and followed up by Walter Scott. Lewis is in many respects
comparable to Gil Blas; but his novel of the "Monk"
fell justly under the ban of lse moralits. His "Castle
Spectre" and " Tales of Wonder" are full of dramatic
power, and broke in on the monotony of the rhyming
sentiments which preceded the brighter and ,grander
outburst of Byron. I asked Spencer for a copy of his
verses to Lady Anne Hamilton. He said he would
give them to me in Paris--a charming rendezvous! *
*

To the Lady Anne Hamilton, by William

Robert Spencer.

Too late I stayed, forgive the crime,
Unheeded flew the hours;
How noiseless falls the foot of Time
That only treads on flowers!
What eye with clear account remarks
The ebbing of his glass,
When all its sands are diamond sparks
That dazzle as they pass ?

LADY MORGAN.

45

I was still lingering in the hope of hearing Captain
Morris, but Morgan, in the most husband-like and
.arbitrary manner, said, "Come, come, we must go
home !" so I sulked all the way, singing to vex him" Then who'd be grave,
When wine can save
The heaviest heart from sinking,
And magic grapes
Give angel shapes
To every girl we're drinking."

Morgan and I always have a little tiff going home
-I
always wanting to stop longer, and he wanting
to come home sooner.
Everybody seems bound for Italy: the papers announce the Duke of Devonshire's departure to-day:
Duchess Elizabeth is already off: Sir Thomas Lawrence going to Rome to paint the Pope's picture.
Everybody, it seems, is to muster at Paris, and I wish
you were of the party! And so God bless you, dear,
and good night.
S. M.
P.S.-Dear old Bowen, the Abercorn chaplain, came
to see us to-day, kind and good as ever. Lady Abercorn
is very ill; when able she will go to Italy with her
Ah ! who to sober measurement
Time's happy swiftness brings,
When birds of paradise have lent
Their plumage for his wings?
These verses are so elegant, and perhaps now so forgotten, that I
cannot resist reviving them here.

DIARY OF

46

sister, Lady Julia. Toques like yours are very much
worn. Send me word all about the babies and yourself.
Morgan's kisses and loves to you all. He loves you
better than anything but me, and I see no such husband anywhere: the women all think him handsome,
and the men very clever, and I am very proud.
S. M.
I never looked half so well, and am grown quite fat,
fair, and--a beauty !!!

DEAR
MLOVE,
MY DEAR LovE,

August, London.

NOTWITHSTANDING the voluminousness of my last

epistle, I have not got half through all I had to say,
and at ten o'clock this morning the printer's devils
were at my elbow: they are getting on so rapidly
with "Florence Macarthy," that I tremble for my
own strength to write the original matter with which
I am obliged to fill out the third volume, in which,
by-the-by, I have changed the closing scenes, I think
advantageously. Now add to all this, that, intending
to rig myself out in Paris, I have had to set myself
up with an evening dress; and though materials are
extraordinarily cheap here, work is wonderfully dear,
so dear, that I cannot get a plain dress made up under
a guinea and a half. I am now sorry I did not bring
sulky Annette with me; however, I have made myself
a very pretty dress with my own two hands-white

LADY MORGAN.

47

satin, with a deep lace flounce. With the skirt I got on
beautifully, but as to the corsage, fortunately there is
scarcely any, what there is being covered with falls,
frills, and lace, so it does not signify how the body is
made. Over the flounce is a rouleau of satin, which
you make with a quarter of a pound of lamb's wool,
which you pull out to the thickness you please. Dear
Morgan has brought me a beautiful lace scarf, the most
beautiful I ever saw, or rather ever possessed! Only
think of Colburn's liberality! On reading over the
proofs of the second volume of "Florence Macarthy"
(he cannot read manuscript, you know), he sent me
a handsome letter and a red leather case containing
a beautiful parure of amethysts ! necklace, cross, and
brooch ! Did Sir Richard Phillips ever do as much
for the "Wild Irish Girl" (poor dab!) in the height
of his passion for her? Dear Nanny* is not yet come
to town: she is still with dear grandpapa at Champneys, where they are angry we do not go to them; but
we cannot leave town for a minute, so she is to be lent
me for a day or two before we start for France.
I have been all over London for a fawn-coloured
shawl for you, but can find no such thing; nothing
but red and white, three guineas and a half, as handsome as mine; but one for five guineas much handsomer, a deep border all round. Shall I send you
a bit of lace? it is so cheap.. I shall send with them
* Sir C. Morgan's daughter by his first marriage.

48

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two dressed dolls for the two babies, as modes. Would
you venture to send this hasty letter to Mrs. J. Bushe
or Lady Charlemont? they will like to know how
I am getting on. Nanny just arrived-such a handsome little creature! but so awkward. Her father
would be so delighted to take her with us to France;
but when I alluded to it grandpapa exclaimed, "What,
madam! to make an atheist of her, or a papist at a
French school? No, indeed !"
Colburn is delighted with Morgan's work, and
thinks it will have a great run: he is to send him
some articles for his " New Monthly," so we shall
pay our way ; but our expenses are enormous.
As to France, don't be alarmed at all you hear
about it; it is "fudge" got up by the " Courier,"
and the " conspiracy " talked about was some intrigue of the French princes against the king, at
which the French people are highly amused. But
when I tell you it is said that De Cazes, the premier
and king's favourite, is to be married to the pretty
daughter of the Prince de Beauveau, with whom we
lived so much at Paris, and have corresponded with
since, I think you may believe we shall not be in
much danger. However, to secure all, we have
written to our French friends, to know how the land
lies, and we shall be determined by their answers.
You may depend on it we won't stir if there is the
least symptom of danger, but return quietly to Dublin.

LADY MORGAN.

49

We went to the Coburg Theatre on Saturday.
The Duke of Sussex was there, with Lady Arran,
Lady Cecilia and Sir George, Colonel Gore, and
the whole family of Gore: they were all, as usual,
kind and courteous to us.
S.M.
From Lady Cork to Lady Morgan.

car-'s
I THOUGHT to have borrowed Lady
riage, but she has given up her horses; she would be
proud to have a job, believe me. Lady A. Lindsay,
and some right honourables of my acquaintance, go
in hacks, and I shall be happy to accompany you in
one, rather than broil in my chair. Lady Cockerell
would be glad to send one of her three carriages, but
'tis not worth while troubling her; she shall send us
Here is an English milliner with French
home.
fripperies; pray see her, she is cheap. We shall meet
you at dinner to-morrow.
Yours, affectionately,
M.

CORK.

From Lady Caroline Lamb to Lady Morgan.
Melbourne House.

So you did not vouchsafe one word to me,what, not one ?-are you afraid? Call upon me ; name
your hour, for I am going abroad as soon as I recover my strength a little. My brother, William

DIARY OF

50

Ponsonby,* wishes me to speak to you very much, but
I must tell you I can only see you before four, or
after eleven at night, as I am out in the cool of the
evening.
Yours, most truly,
CAROLINE.
From Baron Denon to Lady Morgan.
12th August, 1818.

MY DEAR FRIEND,

The
your
This strengthens
papers tear you to pieces.
party; you are read. Your translation is found much
fault with; the English version is eagerly asked for,
and everybody seizes on the few copies that are here.
Your anonymous detractors are looked upon as hired.
They copy from each other, or merely indulge in paraphrases. The pamphlet I send you with this letter
is by the pretended author of " Fifteen Days in
London," who has adopted an entirely new style to
write against you. I add to it a justificatory note, of
which you will make what use you think proper. If
you print a second edition, you can, without changing
your opinions, show that you have just reason to be
offended with those who have such weak pretensions.
Would not this be highly profitable to your pubTHINGs are going on better and better.

lisher?
Mr. Moore is extremely amiable.
* The late lamented Lord de Morley.

You are re-

LADY MORGAN.

51

quested to say that we shall see him again with much
pleasure, that we often speak of him, and that I am
commissioned to tell him so. Adieu, dear friend. I
fear that Mr. Fletcher will leave this to-morrow, and
not find my despatches ready. I embrace you both
with all my heart.
Here is a letter from the mother* of the amiable
family. I shall send you a portrait of the whole
circle in the course of the present month, and in the
meanwhile receive this sample.
Dear friend, the breeze subsides. I send you the
"Mercury" I have just received, in which there is a
freely-written article, as just as can be expected. To
obtain a little good, we must submit to the accompanying evil. I shall write again by Mr. Fletcher.
DENON.

Paris, August, 1818.

Diary.-Never employ your bookseller or publisher
to take lodgings for you. Dufar, who stands in both
those honourable positions (having published the
translations of "The Novice of St. Dominick," "The
Wild Irish Girl," and " France "), has settled us
down at the Hotel d'Espagne, Faubourg St. Germain.
Oh, such a darling dusty old fabrique! just as it was
in the time of Louis XIV., or even of the Roi Dago* The family of the Prince de Beauveau.
session, was done by Denon himself.

The sketch, now in my pos-

2
UNIVERSITY OF
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52

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bert; qui sait ? As we drove up to Dufar's house,
Quai Voltaire, he was actually waiting for us at the
door, all bows and scrapes; and then putting on his
casquet, ran beside the carriage like a running footman. Only think of the Johnsons, or Millers, or
Murrays doing this! Dear friendly Mr. Warden
sent his bonne to inquire if we were arrived; and
while I was writing him a note, I saw her eyes fixed
on my little Irish harp-case, with divers exclamations
of " Mon Dieu, est-il possible! comment donc !" I
looked up at her, and she answered my inquiry with
" C'est, un petit mort, n'est-ce pas, Madame ?" She explained that She thought it was my dead child that I was
travelling with, for the honour of entombment in Perela-Chaise! It was now my turn to exclaim, " Mon
Dieu et comment done !" and her answer was "iMais,
Madame, vous autres dames Anglaises, vous tes si
drdles !" The drollery of travelling with a dead child!
Dear old Warden,* looking more cowardly and
frightened than ever-looking like " the thief that
fears an officer in every bush,"-for he has never
recovered the Reign of Terror,-took us with him to
dine at Vrey's, aux jardins des Tuileries, and after
our demi-tasse, we jumped into a fiacre, and away to
the Vaudeville: quels dilices! was I tired! And so
ends my rentre'e into charming Paris, under the scourge
SMinister from the United States, and author of a very clever work on
America.-See "France, 1816."

LADY MORGAN.

53

of proscription. By-the-by, Warden told us many
pleasant anecdotes at dinner. He said the Comte
D'Artois was the most ridiculous personage in the
drama of the Restoration; that on the rentre'e of the
royal family, he kept bowing and scraping, and showing his immense tusks, answering the paid vivas of
the populace with one of his jolis mots, "Mes amis, il
n'y a qu'un Frangais de plus !" The next day the
shops were full of a caricature of the giraffe (whom he
resembled, and who had made his entree into Paris
the day before, on his way to the Jardin des Plantes),
with a label in its mouth addressed to the gazing
multitude, " Mes amis, il n'y a qu'un bete de plus !"
He observed, that the French had a prompt but an
unenduring sensibility. On the execution of Louis
XVI. there appeared in the English journals the day
after, this annonce, " Aux migres Frangais, on est
prevenu qu'on ne donne pas des fetes aujourd'hui."
Two days afterwards, the brilliant Count de Vaudreuil
gave a re'union, where the proverbe played was " 11 n'y
a point d'eternels douleurs," a parody on the song, Il
n'y a point d'eternels amours.
Paris.

Diary.-A delightful rencontre at the Opera last
night with a charming man, Berkeley Craven, the
man in the world I wanted most to meet, as he and
Sir William Gell are living in Italy (Naples), and, I

DIARY OF

54

believe, both with his mother, the Margravine of
Anspach, whose books were the first books (not school
books*) that chance threw in my way; and as to Sir
William Gell, does he not fill a large space in my
autobiography, which is to come out some day or
other ? It was he who inspired me with a desire to
write in favour of Greek liberty; and I have still the
plan of Athens which he and I drew out at a side
table one night at a party at the Dowager Lady
Donegal's. " Ida of Athens " appeared three months
after, for which Messrs. Longman gave me 7001.
tale quale. Well, Mr. Craven said he and my old
beau, Gell, would take care of us when we got to
Naples, where his mother reigned supreme, with the
prime ministry of good dinners and private theatricals. We settled everything, though Mademoiselle
Mars was on the stage, giving Elvire in "Le Tartuffe," with all the grace and quiet force which
belong to her genius and her knowledge of what
constitutes a fine lady in real life. He is off tomorrow for Italy, and so we parted with a revederla
in the land of the Syrens.
August.-This morning, a long and admirable letter
from Lady Charleville, who also talks of going to
Italy. What a woman! and how proud I feel of her
early distinction of me when I was a poor girl, if not
an obscure one. Her friendship, demonstrated by
*

" Travels by Lady Craven."

LADY MORGAN.

55

every circumstance that could be advantageous to my
youth, and protective of my respectability, has never
flagged.*
* 1858.-Since I penned the above lines (now forty years ago), I have
lost this inestimable friend, and London has lost one of the most distinguished members of its aristocratic and literary society. The following
tribute to her memory, by one who knew her well and enjoyed the advantage of her intimacy, appeared in one of the public prints. I cannot deny
myself the pleasure of quoting it.
" The late Dowager Countess of Charleville.
" The late Dowager Countess of Charleville, who died on Monday last,
at the advanced age of ninety, was one of the most estimable and remarkable women of any age or epoch. Had she been born a Frenchwoman and
lived in France, she would have been assigned a place in social history
with the Sevignes and the Du Deffands, for she possessed in an eminent
degree, the qualities to which they owe their fame, without a particle of
their frivolity or their heartlessness. Her maiden name was Dawson, and
she was a member of the family which was ennobled in the person of the
first Lord Cremorne. She received the principal part of her education at a
French convent, and her memory was stored with curious traits of French
manners prior to the first revolution. But Dublin, in its most brilliant
days, was her favourite theme. She had mixed familiarly with all that
was most distinguished for talent, eloquence, wit, or patriotism during the
concluding quarter of the eighteenth century, in the Irish capital. Lord
Clare and Grattan, notwithstanding their marked opposition of character
and party, were equally her friends. She was with Grattan in his last
illness, during the memorable interview with the late Lord Castlereagh,
when that noble lord announced to him that he was to be buried in
Westminster Abbey. She was the person to whom Lord Clare communicated the remarkable fact (left unnoticed by Moore), that when Lady
Edward Fitzgerald entreated Lord Clare (then chancellor) to give her an
order to see her husband in prison, Lord Clare replied-' I have no power
to give you an order, but I can take any one I like with me to visit any
prisoner, and my carriage is at the door.'
" Her first husband was a gentleman of family and fortune in the county
Louth. He died in 1797, and in the following year she married the late
Earl of Charleville. Soon afterwards her firmness and conjugal affection
were put to a severe test. During the Irish Rebellion, Lord Charleville
was acting as one of the district Generals in King's County, whilst she

56

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Extracts from Letters to Lady Clarke.
Paris, August, 1818,
Hotel d'Espagne.

hY DEAREST DEAR,

This morning we trotted off to Denon, calling
chemin faisant at our old Hotel d'Orlians. Alas! we
found our venerable hostess dead-the fine old man
remained in Dublin. She resolved on joining him, and effected her
purpose with no other escort than her maid, but armed with pistols, one of
which she had occasion to present at the head of a troublesome innkeeper,
who thought proper to usurp the duties of the police. Her name has been
popularly associated with literature in a manner which always gave her
unmitigated pain. Early in 1798, and prior to the marriage, the late earl
(a very clever and accomplished man) printed for private circulation a
translation of Voltaire's 'Pucelle.' In one of the notes to a satirical poem
from the pen of an Irish barrister (now an English privy councillor of no
inconsiderable note in politics and literature), it was insinuated, that
'lawn sleeves and gauze petticoats' had been associated in some manner
with his lordship in this work. The ' lawn sleeves' were understood to
belong to the late Bishop Marlay, and the 'petticoats' to indicate that
Lady Charleville had lent her aid. The work is now exceedingly scarce,
and much prized by book-collectors; and, to enhance its value, it is
almost invariably advertised as by Lady Charleville. The fact is, she had
nothing whatever to do with it. Her distinct disavowal, for which we
can vouch, will fully satisfy all her personal acquaintances on this pointfor she was the soul of truth and honour. They also-at least those who
lived much with her-must know that nothing could be more alien from
her tone of mind, taste, and intellectual tendencies than the translation in
question. It is rendered into vernacular English, and abounds in phrases
with which no woman in Lady Charleville's rank of life could be familiar.
She thoroughly enjoyed wit, but had comparatively small relish for
humour, and was instinctively repelled by the smallest approximation to
vulgarity. Now, in this translation, the wit of the original is very frequently broadened into humour, and coarsened without warrant from the
text. Judging, therefore, solely from internal evidence, we should no
more believe that the English version was, wholly or in part, the work of
Lady Charleville, than that a woman was the author of' Tom Jones.'
"The part of her life to which Lady Charleville herself recurred with

LADY MORGAN.

57

(seated under his vine, as usual) dying, while Pierre
and Marie nearly kissed our hands off, Pierre danced
about roaring to his master, " Mais, c'est M. Morgan
and Madame, levez-vous donc ;" he assured us we were
well off in the Hotel d'Espagne, as Josef the frotteur
was his " ami intime, un garcon tres-aimable, a qui je

most pleasure, and in which she took most pride, was that which she
passed at Charleville Castle, King's County, in the midst of her late
husband's tenantry and dependents. She was bred tp in Protestant
ascendancy principles, and had imbibed strong family prejudices against
Roman Catholics. But her mind was far too liberal and too enlightened to
miss the true course to be pursued by an Irish proprietor. She established
schools open to both creeds alike, and lived on excellent terms with the
Roman Catholic clergy in the neighbourhood, who-seeing that proselytizing was the last thing in her thoughts, and that she was simply anxious
to elevate the moral as well as to improve the physical condition of the
peasantry-cordially co-operated in her views. It was her fixed belief,
founded on careful observation and deep reflection, that a State provision
for the Roman Catholic clergy of Ireland was indispensable to the lasting
tranquillization of the country.
"She lost the use of her lower limbs from rheumatism before she passed
middle life, and she was entirely dependent on others for locomotion; yet
her spirits were excellent, except under the immediate pressure of affliction,
to which she was exposed in no ordinary degree from her warm heart and
affectionate disposition. It would be impossible to cite a more memorable
example in disproof of the commonplace doctrine-that the heart and the
imagination necessarily grow torpid and inactive in old age. We strongly
suspect that, when fancy and sensibility appear to pass away with
advancing years, they never, in point of fact, existed, and that the flush,
flutter, and vivacity of youth were mistaken for them. Her chief amusement, almost to her last hour, was painting, and the style of art which
she cultivated was the very highest. Her generosity was bouudless, and
whenever any sacrifice, personal or pecuniary, was demanded of her, her
only anxiety was to do what was right. The moment she was satisfied in
this respect, the struggle was at an end. Her conversation was eminently
entertaining, instructive, and improving. But we have said enough to
complete our tribute."

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pouvais me confier." This Josef is ready dressed for a
figurant at the Opera, his white shirt fastened with a
large ruby, a bouquet in his green jacket, and his hair
fris6 a ravir.
We found dear Denon surrounded by English
fashionables, from whom he rushed, when we were
announced, into our arms alternately. We met at
dinner chez Madame d'Houchien, who received us like
her children. We found some of the old habitu6s
there; but D6non and Morgan set me down at our
hotel early in the evening, I was so tired, and they proceeded to the Bishop of Blois (Grigoire). The bishop
actually embraced him, heretic as he was, before all
the .company, although there were two Italian bishops
present, praised my work on "France," and assured
him it had done infinite good. You may, therefore,
be perfectly easy about us. We are to dine to-morrow
with Denon. Humboldt asked to meet us.
The Princess de Craon sent us a message through
M. ILattin, that notwithstanding our difference of
opinion, she would come and see us immediately.
Benjamin Constant has written us a beautiful
letter expressive of his desire to make our acquaintance. He has married a German lady of high rank,
who left her card for me. This is all very flattering,
The clever little Inez Esmenard tells me that my account of her in my first "France" has brought her
into great fashion, and she has already made 2000f. by

LADY MORGAN.

59

her pictures since my afche.* A Doctor Morgan is
settled here, and people, supposing him to be our relation, have followed him very much. All our friends
say that if Morgan would remain here, and resume his
profession, he would make a fortune in a short time.
So you owe us a fortune, mind! for nothing would
bring us back to Ireland but you and your babiesthe tiresome family in Great George Street! I
have sent you some ribbons for poor Molly, by Miss
Nugent.
Curran, whom we saw yesterday, brings
you another packet of more consequence for yourself. Dress here is much dearer than in London.
A little dress of coloured muslin, for which I paid
ten shillings in London, I was here asked forty
for; but en revanche, I got four pairs of beautiful
satin shoes for fifteen shillings. There is a tricotd
silk scarf which they wear here round the head,
en turbane, which is really very elegant. I have
sent you one by Curran. I have promised to sit for
two pictures for Denon-one for engraving (seated
by-the-by in one of his magnificent Egyptian chairs,
with a curious lion's head on each side), and the other
picture for the Exposition du Louvre, 1821. I have
already given une se'ance for the first; but the man
was so much more occupied in sketching the lion's
head than mine, that, after three hours' sitting, I
* The story of this little lady will be found in my "France, 1816
was the daughter of the ex-minister of police under Napoleon.

;"

she

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declared to Denon I would not poser any more unless he muffled his lions, at which he laughed heartily.
The second is to be a very grand affair; it is to be
done in the school of David, and by his most eminent
disciple and pupil, Berthon; it is to be finished before
I start for Italy. Direct to me here before I get to
La Grange, La Fayette's. We are every hour expecting' a good account from Clarke: our anxiety about you
embitters all our pleasure. Describing to Madame
d'Houchien your situation, and my anxiety about you,
she exclaimed, "Pourquoi, Madame, fait-elle ce vilain
metier-lh !" French women of condition, she said" des femmes comme il faut "-never have more than
two or three children at most! So you see, my
dear Olivia, they manage these things better in
France.
Susan Morgan, our half-sister, is here, at a celelIrated English school. Here is M. Thierry, my
great admirer from Metz. He brought his handsome
son with him. He invited us most cordially to pay
him a visit at Metz.
P.S.-Your letter just arrived has set our hearts at
rest for the present. At the same time I do think you
might have found a larger sheet of paper to tell us
more about yourself and everybody. Several letters
from Colburn; one from Mr. Harris, of Covent Garden.
It is most polite, respectful, and kind: he appoints a

LADY MORGAN.

61

day to call on me to talk over your play, which he
seems inclined to bring out, although two months
I have
have elapsed since his letter was written.
thought it better late than never, so I have written
to recommend your play. Let me beseech of you not
to bring it out in Dublin under any circumstances:
the success of my little opera was not due to its
merits, it was a piece de circonstance, and upheld by
a party.
By the same packet I had a letter from Miss
Drew-the daughter of Lady Susan Douglas, and
niece to the charming Duchess of Sussex-with an
account of the death of Lady Cecilia Leeson, daughter
It has shocked me much-so
of Lady Cloncurry.
young, so clever, and so good! In haste, and bless
S. M.
you all!
From General La Fayette to Sir Charles Morgan.
La Grange, Monday morning.

MY DEAR SIR CHARLES,

THE letter which announced to me your arrival in
Paris, and the approaching pleasure of soon seeing
you here, reached me on Wednesday last; too late to

reply by the same post.

My friend, M. D'Argenson,

who left this on Thursday morning, offered to take
charge of my answer; by which means I gained a
day. This advantage seemed the more important to
me, as I understood you would be free from Friday.

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You have not yet realized our anxious hope, which we
readily account for by the many engagements or objects
of curiosity that may have detained you. We should
regret even more, if in this matter you did not consult
your entire convenience; while the impatient desire
to see you again is the sole motive we have for preferring one time to another for your welcome, and, as
we hope, long visit. Meanwhile, a sudden apprehension has seized us that some accident may have
happened to my answer. Two young friends of mine
leave this morning by the diligence: they have
promised me to call on you the moment they arrive,
and I take this opportunity of repeating to you that
I have no engagement or business to call me from
La Grange, or prevent me from enjoying the whole
They say
time you may feel inclined to pass there.
the elections are postponed. These will occupy three
or four days in October, at a distance of eight leagues
from hence. No other duty can interfere with my
liberty, and you see that they are a long while off.
Besides, if we were fortunate enough to keep you till
that time, I should ask your permission to absent
myself for the purpose. I beg Lady Morgan and
yourself to accept the expression of our affectionate
regards, and of the anxious impatience of the whole
family.
LA

FAYETTE.

LADY MORGAN.

63

From Benjamin Constant to Lady Morgan.
Rue St. Honord, No. 366,
September the 1st, 1818.

THOUGH M. Benjamin Constant is informed of
Lady Morgan's intended visit to La Grange, he
would not wait till her ladyship's return to express
his regrets at being still confined, and prevented from
paying his respects to her. He takes the liberty of
reminding Sir Charles that he kindly promised to let
him know when he and Lady Morgan will again be
in Paris, and hopes then to be able to go out and
make amends for what he is now unfortunately
deprived of. The high reputation of Lady Morgan,
her liberal opinions, and excellent works, must make
every person worthy of conversing with her ladyship
lament at such a pleasure being uncertain or delayed.
Diary.-We began this day with the "Bibliotheque
Historique," which I wanted to consult on the subject
of my Italian journey, for I am cramming for Italy
all the time I am hustling and bustling about.
After which, we drove to several portes-cocheres;
but the general answer was, "Parti pour les Eaux,"
or "Pour leur campagne." We got admission, however, to the venerable Bishop of Blois, Gregoire, and
found him at home and alone, gracious and kind as
ever. He talked with flattering admiration of my
work on France, and of the eulogium I had made on
him. On our return to our hotel, we found the

64

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member for Metz waiting for us, who fancies himself
an English country gentleman because he wears topboots. He talked to Morgan on the British Constitution, and asked me " what I thought of 'Betsy Thatless?'" (Betsy Thoughtless). A letter from General
La Fayette, fixing our visit to La Grange for the third
of September. He sends us a carte de voyage, and the
carriage is to meet us at Grande Ville-" a village,"
he says, " on the confines of civilisation."
To-day we walked to the Barbe bleue, Marche' des
Innocents, where I bought myself a chapeau de soleil,
with corn flowers stuck in the side of it-a regular
Leghorn-twenty francs. In London I was asked
three pounds for just such another. We then got
into a cabriolet, and drove to Eaubonne, to see, or
at least to inquire, for poor dear Madame Ginguend.*
Alas! she was not there. What desolation! and yet,
by what immortal names is not Eau bonne consecrated-Ginguen, Rousseau, St. Lambert, Madame
d'IHoudotot, &c., &c. We put up our cabriolet, and
dined deliciously as to the menus, though not gaily,
for four francs, at a little guinguette, under the heights
of Montmorenci, over the door of which was inscribed,
"Ici on danse tous les jours." They were clearing out
for the ball, and so we cleared ourselves out for Paris.
Oh! England, if you would only have guinguettes
where "on danse tous les jours," instead of drinking
*

"France, 1816."

LADY MORGAN.

65

porter and gin, what misery and murder might it not
spare ! The worst of the English temperament and
habits is, that they lead to sullen fanaticism, which
restricts innocent amusements, and leaves the field
clear for brutal indulgence.
The man who has no
scruple to get drunk on gin of a Sunday would
shrink scandalised from dancing and eau sucre'e on that
day " appointed by the Church to be kept holy."
Porter and piety can go hand in hand; and so the
orthodox
" Compound for sins they are inclined to,
By damning those they have no mind to."

On our return, found that Humboldt had called.
It is too provoking ! He left us a little billet instead
of a card :
" LE

BARON

DE HUMBOLDT

est venu s'informer du

retour bien tardif de Sir Charles et Lady Morgan."

Note from Madame la Marquise de Villette, the "Belle et Bonne "
of Voltaire.
August 27th, 1818.

MADAME DE VILLETTE presents many compliments

to Lady Morgan, whom she proposes to visit at noon
this day. For two days she has wished to pass a
moment with her, but the bad weather has kept her
at home.
She sends her Fables, which she has been desirous
of lending to Lady Morgan in exchange for St. Clair.

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Madame de Villette regrets to hear of the approaching departure [for La Fayette's,] which she could
have wished to see indefinitely postponed; and all who
have the pleasure of Lady Morgan's acquaintance
concur in the same feeling.

Letters from Lady C. Lamb, which have made le tour du monde.
Melbourne House,
Saturday, 11 o clock evening.

I AM returned from riding alone, to find myself in
these large rooms alone; but I sent for some street
minstrels to sing to me, and whilst they have been
thus employed, I have scribbled over a bit of paper
without in the least intending it; so, as you profess
to like these odd twists of my pen, I shall answer
your kind note with this truly edifying frontispiece.*
* Two specimens of Lady C. L.'s artistic facility, both in the grotesque
and elegant, accompanied this letter.
The following poem, printed afterwards in "Glenarvon," accompanied
the letter and the sketches :"Waters of Elle ! thy limpid streams are flowing
Smooth and untroubled through the flowery vale;
O'er thy green banks once more the wild rose blowing,
Greets the yourng spring and scents the passing gale.
"Here 'twas at eve, near yonder tree reposing,
One still too dear first breathed his vows to thee;
'
Wear this,' he cried, his guileful love disclosing,
'
Near to thy heart in memory of me.'
"Love's cherish'd gift-the rose he gave-is faded ;
Love's blighted flower can never bloom again.
Weep for thy fault, in heart and mind degraded;
Weep, if thy tears can wash away the stain.

LADY MORGAN.

67

I would you had stayed a few days longer; your
head, with far more of genius, has much better sense
in it than mine; and besides, you have a much better
temper, and you have gone through more, formed
yourself more, seen the necessity of, in some degree,
considering the opinions of others, although for the
matter of that, you have got yourself exiled, so that
you have not sacrificed your principles to your interest.
INow my case is this ;-if I were alone to consider my
own interest, it is to bear all very gently, be very
friendly, say nothing, think nothing, feel nothing,
but, studying the present very unbecoming French
fashion, to join my cousin the ambassador, make love
to every one in power, look askance at those who are
not, and climb up that slippery rock-fashion-from
which I chose to throw myself down as in an avalanche
or parachute - quite plump; -- the only question
being into which pond, lake, or chasm I like to rest.
But it is not my character, and the torrent will take
"Call back the vows that once to heaven were plightedVows full of love, of innocence, and truth;
Call back the scenes in which thy soul delighted,
Call back the dream that bless'd thy early youth.
"Flow, silver stream ! though threatening tempest lower,
Bright, mild, and clear thy gentle waters flow;
Round thy green banks the spring's young blossoms flower;
O'er thy soft waves the balmy zephyrs blow.
"Yet all in vain, for never Spring arraying
Nature in charms, to thee can make it fair;

Ill-fated love clouds all thy path, portraying
Years of past bliss and future of despair."

F2

DIARY OF

68

its course. I go, therefore, off, and you will probably
see amongst the dead, in some newspaper-Died, on her
voyage to Bonneberga Hague, Lady Caroline Lamb,
of the disease called death; her time being come,
and she being a predestinarian.
Thank you for "Absenteeism," which I am now
going to read. I hope you saw my brother.
How did you like your sejour in London. Will
I
Do you like the "Crusaders ?"
you return?
will send you a letter of Lord Byron's, to keep;
there are some verses to me which I think pretty;
they were written in a" moment. I shall send these
when I hear from you; in the mean time, believe me,
with much truth,
Yours,
CAROLINE

LAMB.

Brockett Hall.
MY VERY DEAR LADY MORGAN,

me I have, as Ariel did for Prospero,
obeyed your commands; but like Ariel, I am tied
in a gnarled oak (that is, I am too ill to go about),
so I came to live quietly, until after my weddingday, at Brockett Hall. My brother William is in
trouble that you have not received my letter, because it was such a stupid letter. I dare say he
would not send it until he had added to it what you
wanted. "Ada Reis " I sent to you long ago, with
BELIEVE

LADY MORGAN.

69

some little pride-that Ireland, for whom you, as
well as I feel interest, should uphold it; here, all I
have asked of Murray is a dull sale or a still birth.
This may seem strange, and I assure you it is contrary to my own feelings of ambition; but what can
I do? I am ordered peremptorily by my own family
not to write. All you say is true, and so true, that I
ask you, my dear Lady Morgan, if one descended in a
right line from Spenser, not to speak of the Duke of
Marlborough, with all the Cavendish and Ponsonby
blood to boot, who you know were always rebellious,
should feel a little strongly upon any occasion, and
burst forth, and yet be told to hold their tongues
and not write, by all their relations united-what is
to happen? You cannot do me a greater favour than
to recommend and set abroad "Ada Reis." I will
send you three copies, and with them the letters I
have received from Gifford, Lady Dacre, and several
others whom you know. In the mean time, I am
doing all I can for your future work upon Salvator
Rosa,* but until I go to town, I can do but little. I
have written to my father, the Duke of Devonshire,
Lord Palmerston, Lord Cowper, and I have received
from each of them very kind answers, in which they
say they will certainly obey your orders. You must
* Lady C. Lamb having mentioned to me that some of the finest works
of Salvator Rosa were in the possession of certain members of her family, I
wrote to beg she would procure me a list of them, as I had some idea of
collecting materials for the life and times of that poet and painter.

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wait, but depend on the informatioh. Now, in the
mean time, will you do me this favour-will you,
in return for three "Ada Reises" which I shall
send you, and which I value at sixpence a head
-- will you read the enclosed list, and serve me,
if you can, by trying to secure me a vote in Westminster Hospital, in the case of a vacancy for a
physician? it may not happen this year, and it may
in a month. All I ask you is to write, and to beg
for Lady C. Lamb, never mind anything else: but
to you I.communicate that I am anxious to serve a
physician who is with me, whose name is Dr. Roe,
who was and is highly recommended; and as we both
love Ireland, let me speak it, to the honour of that
country, that he sprung from it. He has done everything he could for my dear and only child; I therefore have done and will do everything for him. As
you estimate talent so highly, and place mine so
high, what must I not say of you? will you at least
use your influence discretionally, as there is no vacancy at present, and, without naming him, do what
you can for me ? It is Scotland, Ireland, and England
that are opposing each other. You know you are allpowerful with the Opposition, and I hope, for Ireland,
you will do your best. I will do all I can for Salvator Rosa. Depend upon me, and you will see how
zealous I will be very soon. I received both your
letters, but I could not answer you myself; and now, I

71

LADY MORGAN.

am obliged to dictate, being far from well. You talk
of talent-look at home.
Ever yours, sincerely,
CAROLINE LAMB.*

Diary.-To-day being our last day in Paris for the
present (we go to La Grange to-morrow), we made
a tour of public libraries-dined at Vrey's-homedressed, and went to Baron Dinon's in the evening.
and his wife were there. General
The Prince de SSebastiani dropped in, and the dear Comte de Sigur,
with a green shade over his eyes, and almost blind,
still in deep despondency for the loss of his noble son.
Humboldt came in, and was unusually pleasant; gave
us anecdotes of the emperor and Josephine, and threw
new light on the cause of their separation. Denon
spoke of his indulgence to Marie Louise, and his love
of children. He saw him twice take the son of Hortenset to council. He said the little King of Rome
jouait son role de roi to admiration. One day when
Denon came to the emperor upon business, the little
Napoleon was playing with some toys on the floor.
The emperor called him, and put his little hands into
D6non's, saying, "Remerciez donc, M. Denon, qui a
tant travaill4 pour nous."-" Je serai charme, M.
Dnon, de travailler quelques fois avec vous," said his
SN.B.-These letters followed me to Italy. I give them as I find them.
t The death of this promising child much affected the emperor.

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tiny majesty. "From that moment," said Dnon,
"we were great friends, and .I invented some pretty
toys for his little palace in the Tuileries gardens."
Turning to me he added, " That unfinished drawing
of Isabey's, which Inez Esm6nard gave you, Lady
IMorgan, would have been perfect had he been allowed
to finish it."
During the " Hundred Days," Isabey, to please the
emperor, went to Vienna, where the poor little
Napoleon was residing with his grandfather, the
Emperor of Austria. He took his unfinished drawing
in acquarelle to work out his design if possible; but
when admitted to the little dethroned sovereign, he
found his fair locks cut off, his head powdered, pomatumed, and covered with a cocked hat; and himself
dressed in the white uniform, turned up with red, of
an Austrian general, decorated with the order of
Maria Theresa, military boots, and white leather
breeches. Isabey never waited on him again: the
next day the news came of the battle of Waterloo,
and that Napoleon was a captive to England.
A note from the general: here it is:
From General La Fayette to Sir Charles Morgan.
La Grange, September 3rd, 1818.

MY

DEAR SIR CHARLES,

YouR letter of the 31st only arrived yesterday,

too late for the same day's post. This disappointment
is repaired by the departure of M. d'Argenson, and

LADY MORGAN.

73

you will receive to-day our thanks for your kind intentions in regard to La Grange. The news of your
coming has circulated much joy here. All my family
are collected here, with the exception of my two sonsin-law. You will also find, in addition, Madame de
Tracy, mother of my daughter-in-law; Madame de
Maisonneuve, sister of M. de Maubourg ;* and a
young painter of much distinction, brother of the
liberal writer, Scheffer. I feel convinced that this
addition to our circle will be agreeable to you. The
happiness of receiving Lady Morgan and yourself will
be participated by our guests. We all agree that the
sooner the better. Do not trouble yourself about the
elections. They must be preceded by the assembling
of the Holy Alliance at Aix-la-Chapelle, although it
does not seem very clear what they can have in
common with foreign diplomacy. It however appears
quite certain that the meeting of electors will not take
place before October. I hope it is superfluous to tell
you, my dear friends, with what impatience you are
expected, and how happy we shall be to renew the
expression of our affectionate and grateful sentiments.
LA FAYETTE.

The pleasure of seeing you overcomes the mortifica* Sister of the celebrated Count de Maubourg. She obtained permission
to join him at Glatz, and only quitted him when he was transferred to
Austria.

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tion I feel in thinking that La Grange, the object of
your kind partiality, will again be presented to you in
a deformed state, owing to the want of rain, which
will make you blush for your praises. May the inhabitants, towards whom you are so indulgent, not
find themselves in the same condition!

Madame la Marquise de Villette to Lady Morgan.
29th August, 1818.

MADAME DE VILLETTE salutes Lady Morgan, and ex-

presses her regret at not having once more embraced
her before her departure. She sends her the Epistle
of Chenier, which she seemed desirous of having.
With respect to the note relative to my brother, the
Chevalier de Varicourt, that which has been already
drawn up is too voluminous to send to Lady Morgan.
It would occupy too much space. For the memory of
the Chevalier de Varicourt a short notice will suffice,
which will recommend itself sufficiently when it appears in your ladyship's works. On the night of the
6th of October, the Chevalier de Varicourt was on
guard over the queen, and perished, the victim of
honour and fidelity, while resisting the attacks of the
populace long enough to afford the queen sufficient
time to save herself in the king's apartments. If he
had not been my brother I could add many details

LADY MORGAN.

75

which would elevate still more highly his heroic
conduct."*
We are off to-morrow for La Grange; post horses
to Grandeville, and such a caleche et chaise de poste !

Chateau de la Grange,
September 6, 1818.

Diary.-- Grandeville, where the general's carriage
At
met us, occurred an incident so dramatic that it might
have served for an interlude at the Opera Comique.
Whilst our trunks were changing to the general's
carriage, we joined a group who were standing bouche
beante opposite the window of the auberge. Their
curiosity was directed to an open window, before which
every now and then a most fantastic object presented
itself. I asked "a nice young man" standing near us
what it meant. He said, " Oh! c'est Miladi Morgan,
qui a si bien parl6 de nous autres industriels dans son
petit livre sur la France;' elle attend la voiture du
General La Fayette."
At that moment the " Lady Morgan" came to the
window. It is impossible to describe anything so grotesque, though such figures are still seen in France.
* The family of Yaricourt having been reduced from wealth to poverty,
Voltaire adopted the children, and married the eldest daughter to his
friend and Ward, the wealthy and noble Marquis de Villette, one of the
brilliant wits of Paris-when wits abounded.

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A head, powdered and crdped, two feet high; several
couches of rouge on her cheek, and more than one on
her chin; black patches & discretion; a dress of damask
silk with scarlet flowers. She had on what was called
a man tille de vieille dame: she was apparently any age
after seventy. She was fanning herself, and seemed
highly, flattered by the homage paid to her charms
(she could suspect no other source).
In a few minutes she came out, and entered one of
those curious little vehicles called a desobligeante, such
as one still meets with in the chemins de travers in
France. It was driven by a little dumpy coachman,
in a livery as old and rusty as if he had served in the
Fronde; in short, it was a scene from Moliere realised,
the "Comntesse d'Escarbagnas and her page Criquet."
She smiled and bowed graciously as she passed the
crowd, and was evidently a grande dame de Province.
Hitherto Morgan had kept me quiet, but my vanity
at last broke bounds; my charming chapeau de paille,
with its poppy flowers, my French cashmere and my
coquetry, which, young or old, will go with me to my
grave, could stand it no longer.
" 'Odious in woollen, 'twould a saint provoke,'
Were the last words that poor Narcissa spoke."

As I was stepping into the La Grange carriage, I
turned to the "nice young man " who handed me in,
and 'said, "Je suis, moi, la v6ritable Lady Morgan."
He said he guessed as much, and announced to the

LADY MORGAN.

bons gens who I was, and we drove off amid vivats and
laughter. .
We arrived at sunset last evening, and the old
tower, covered with the ivy planted by Charles Fox,
shone out in strong relief from the dark woods behind;
but the brightest of all sunshine was the dear
La Fayette's own noble countenance, beaming with
smiles and cordiality, as he stood at the castle gate to
receive us, surrounded by his children and grandchildren, and other members of his family. What a
joyous reception! There were also some strangers
whom I had not seen before, but who were presented
to us individually as soon as we reached the salon.
And what names ! Auguste Thierry, the most promising litterateur of the day; Scheffer, a young but
already celebrated artist, who was then painting
the general's picture ; Carbonel, the most delightful
composer de salon that France has yet had; (and
Beranger, charming as he is, owes him much for
his happy adaptation of his poetry to his music, of the
school of the truest old French melody) ; two Americans; and two country gentlemen, who took their
leave just after we arrived. One of them had expected
to find La Fayette eighty years of age, and a cripple,
if not a dotard! I asked the Englishman where he
had picked up the notion. He said, "Why, I read in
the 'Quarterly Review' on your ladyship's work on
France that La Fayette was a dotard.' "

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We had scarcely finished our toilet, when the
sound of the well-remembered old tocsin summoned us
to the evening repast, which was made rather more
substantial than usual a notre intention. The whole
family of three generations were assembled in the
fine old salle a manger, the stone hall with its groined
roof, and at a table where every one dropped into
their own place just as I had left them, the strangers
taking theirs under the direction of the ladies who did
the honours, Madame George La Fayette and Madame
Lastyrie.
By-the-by, the company at La Grange
was seldom less than from twenty to thirty guests,
the venerable chief occupying the centre of the table
between his two youngest grandchildren. Gaiety and
contentment were upon every countenance; all gold
and silver vessels were banished from the table, and
the refreshments, without being recherches, were varied
and appe'tisants. The dear children were much grown
since I parted from them at the same table in 1816.
Their charming education, and, perhaps, also their fine
original natures, prevented their being importunate or
troublesome, and not one enfant terrible was to be
found among these noble descendants of the two great
races, Noailles et La Fayette. They were certainly
better educated than the royal pupils of Madame de
Maintenon, the pert precoces Dukes de Maine and
Burgundy. The natural man is the most selfish of all
created beings; but early training will break even him

LADY MORGAN.

79

in, like "the beautiful hyena which never was tamed,"
according to the eloge of the showman at the Tower.
The youngest grandchild, little Oscar de La Fayette,
had taken a most passionate love for me in 1816, and
he was, like the rest of his sex, faithless in 1818. I
said to him across the table, "M'aimes-tu toujours,
mon cher Oscar ?" He hesitated, looked earnestly at
me, and then, turning round with a look of extreme
fondness at his bonne, who was standing behind him,
he replied, " Oui, miladi ; mais j'aime mieux ma
vielle !"
We had a charming apris-diner. Carbonel sang some
of his delightful songs, particularly "11 est passe le bon
viewx temps," and " Je ne vous le diraipas !"the words
of both by Beranger. The celebrated General Carbonel, his uncle, ancien chef de 1'6tat, major de la garde
nationale, and a great friend of M. George La Fayette,
is expected to-morrow. Lord and Lady Holland are
announced for the end of the month. The description
of Lady Holland's arrival at the castle of the republican general is most amusing. She is always preceded by a fourgon from London, containing her own
favourite meubles at Holland House her bed, fauteuil,
carpet, &c., and divers other articles too numerous to
mention, but which enter into her ladyship's superflu,
chose tris-necessaire,at least to a grande dame. One of
her female attendants and a groom of the chambers
precede her to make all ready for her reception.

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However, her original manner, though it startles the
French ladies, amuses them.
To-morrow I am to sit to Scheffer for my portrait.
After the departure of the children, who kissed all
the grands parents and made the most graceful little
salutes to the stranger guests, we fell to discourse. I
inquired after my old friend the Abb6 Morellet, whom
I visited at Paris, on what I believe was his deathbed. No memoir has yet been written of him, though
the general says he had a most extensive correspondence with all the literary and celebrated characters of
the eighteenth century.
He was a member of the French Academy so far
back as 1785, and though all present were anti-Bourbon, jusqu'aux bouts des doigts, all gave due honour to
his present majesty for the restoration of the pension
which he had enjoyed under Louis XVI. What is
curious about the pension is, that it was originally
obtained for him by an English peer, the Marquis of
Lansdowne,* when Earl of Shelburne, who having
* 1858.-Doubting the accuracy of the anecdote, I wrote a few days
back to Lord Lansdowne for information on the subject, when his lordship
thus answered :" DEAR LADY MORGAN,

Saturday.

"I SHOULD have answered your note sooner, but could not immediately
tell whether I possessed the Abbe Morellet's works here. Unluckily, I
find, after a diligent search, those I have of them, not large or numerous,
are at Bowood, where, as I have only servants in the house, nobody could
find them till I am there. They would have been otherwise very much
at your service. I can, however, answer your queries.
The Abbe

LADY MORGAN.

81

signed the peace between England and France, in
1782, asked and obtained a pension on the ground
that the French writer had liberalised his ideas; that
is, had contributed to fix in his mind those principles
which would have a tendency more closely to connect
the two nations for the happiness of both.
Auguste Thierry observed, that he heard that he
had collected many anecdotes, both from books and
society, which would be a curious illustration of the
history of the times. We all expressed a wish that
the manuscript might fall into the hands of Auguste
Thierry, who will, I prophesy, be the greatest historian
of France, though now young in life and letters.
Chateau de la Grange, Blesneau, Pas de Rogoy,
Department de la Brie,
September 10th, 1818.

MY DEAR

LivY-

NOTHING can equal our uneasiness at not hearing
from you. We lingered in Paris day after day, still
expecting a letter and good news, until General La
Fayette wrote to us to say how anxiously we were
expected here this some time back ;nand in the hope
Morellet was not my tutor-he was too old for that-but an old friend of
my father's, whom, in consequence, I saw a good deal of the first time I
visited Paris. He was then considerably above eighty, I believe near to
ninety years of age-one of the last of the Academicians then alive.
"My father signed the Treaty of Paris in 1782.
"I am obliged to write in haste, just leaving town.
"Very faithfully yours,
" LANSDOWNE."

G

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that your letter would follow us immediately, we set
off for La Grange, Mr. Warden, our American friend,
having taken charge of all our letters, which he is
to forward us as they arrive. As almost the whole
route to La Grange lies through cross roads, and partly
through the forest of Senars, our coachman, a most
ignorant and obstinate fellow, lost his way, and owing
to this circumstance we got into the most intricate
roads, into little remote hamlets, vineyards, and
woods, that afforded us an excellent view of the interior, especially as we were obliged to alight every halfleague to ask our way on, because we were afraid of
being overturned. At a very pretty little inn where
we stopped to dine, and were turned (literally) into a
plantation of peaches and grapes to amuse ourselves
while dinner was getting ready, a carriage full of
gentlemen drove up: they alighted and told us that
the best thing we could do was to return to
Paris, because we were in the directly wrong road!
This was pleasant news; but there was nothing for it
but to keep moving-going back was not to be thought
of. Some of the gentlemen having ascertained our
names from our luggage, expressed themselves much
pleased with this accidental introduction, and said some
very fine things about our "France;" and so they
bowed themselves off, and seemed pleased with the
accident that afforded them an opportunity of seeing
us. It is curious that I should be better known here

LADY MORGAN.

83

than in my own country. We had another little
adventure at Grandeville, which I shall keep for
another letter, as I have other matter for to-day.
They advised us to return to Paris; but nothing
could persuade our coachman, and so he took us
across the country, where I am sure no coach-wheel
ever went before, and of course doubled the length of
our journey. Imagine, however, that it lay through
vineyards bowed down with grapes, and orchards
that strewed the way with apples. It was curious
to see the peasants, even the children, working and
walking through them with as much indifference
as our people do through their potatoes; but maybe we did not wish for the children, only I am afraid
they would kill themselves here in the shortest given
time! Nothing could equal the kindness, cordiality, and
affection of our reception here. We found the general
younger by a dozen years; another grandchild, making
twelve, in addition to his family; also a delightful old
lady, Madame la Comtesse de Tracy, whose brother,
Monsieur de Scoval, married a sister of Lord Kinnaird's, and whose daughter is married to young La
Fayette, the colonel; but her greatest illustration is
that she is the wife of one of the most eminent men
and celebrated metaphysicians in France. A very
clever young artist, who is painting the general's
picture, Monsieur Scheffer; and one of the most delightful musicians I ever heard, a Monsieur Carbonel,
.2

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whose playing and singing is such a treat to Morgan
that he keeps him to it from morning till night. He
goes through whole operas, and his French songs
would delight you as much as Moore's. He is also a
charming composer, and seems partly amateur partly
professional : he assists in the academy of the childrenfor it is literally an academy-as does also Monsieur
Scheffer. There are, besides, in the house a music-master
and an English governess. Before breakfast I find all
the young people at their easels painting from models
in the anteroom; then they go to their music (there
are three pianos); then they all turn out into the beautiful park for two hours, and then resume their studies
for two hours more. But I never saw such happy
children ; they live without restraint, and, except while
at their lessons, always with the grown people. If the
little-ones are noisy, they are sent into the anteroom;
but their gentleness and good conduct are astonishing, considering, too, that eleven of the twelve are
always with us. Oscar and Octavie, a little boy and girl
of three and four years old, are great friends of mine.
Octavie puts me so much in mind of darling baby, that
I have her often with me. She said yesterday to her
mamma, "J'ai cherchi une rose pour cette petite dame,
qui est si bonne pour moi, mais le jardinier m'a ferm6
le grille (the garden gate) au nez ;" would you not be
surprised at such a gallantry on the part of Miss
Baby? it amused me much, as being so French. But

LADY MORGAN.

85

the children are amazingly forward here; they breakfast, dine, and sup with us, and nothing amuses me
more than to see then conversing with all their little
airs and graces, and not the least noisy. What would
amuse you most is to see them breakfasting on soup,
made dishes, and drinking Burgundy after it; it is a
knockdown to all Morgan's arguments and mine.
Morgan breakfasts like the rest; but I have coffee, by
particular desire, after breakfast. Every one drinks tea
and coffee as after dinner; and though this substantial
meal is taken at ten o'clock, every one is ready for the
abundant and excellent dinner which is served at four;
coffee comes immediately after, and tea at ten.
I
never saw such a beautiful picture of domestic happiness, virtue, and talent. The general has proposed inviting Humboldt and D&non to join us. If they come,
Europe could scarcely present such another circle of
talent and celebrity. Morgan (when our minds are at
rest about you) will be too happy. He is now seated
under the towers of La Grange by the side of a pond
fishing; add to this a fine library and Mozart's "Don
Giovanni" played and sung in the best style, and you
may judge of his happiness. He is quite recovered, and
looking "charming well again." Whenever Carbonel
sings his delicious vaudevilles we think of you;
I have heard a great many curious anecdotes of my
" France " since I came here. The first copy that
arrived at Madame de Stael's, Benjamin Constant,

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and La Fayette, and several persons of celebrity were
present. She was herself in her last illness; but
expressed herself extremely anxious to see me, and
much pleased by what I said of her. As soon as her
daughter, the Duchess of Broglie, returns to Paris, she
is to visit me ; but I hear of so many that are to do so
that I believe I must beg an apartment at the Tuileries
to receive them. There is at this moment twenty
times more liberality and public spirit in France than
in Ireland, or even in England. Every shop is crowded
with the pictures of La Fayette and other patriots, and
pamphlets are published here which would be prosecuted with us. Many of them are so here; but there
seems but one sentiment through the country. There
is no liberty of the press for newspapers, though they
are miserable things, without news or discussions; but
the people make themselves amends in pamphlets and
caricatures. Here is Morgan come in, after having
been overtaken in a storm of rain, thunder, and
lightning; I fancy, too, by his appearance, he fell
into the pond; but he has had great success-" one
nibble."
As we were walking in the Champs
Elys6es with Susan Morgan, who is at school there,
we met Miss O'Connor; she was very good-natured,
and consented to carry you a knit silk scarf, provided
she might wear it travelling; they are so strict at the
custom-house: so I thought it would not be much
worth at the end of her journey, and I will wait till a

LADY MORGAN.

87

better opportunity. I dream incessantly that I am
attending you, and trying to keep the children quiet;
but that Molly will make a noise: this is my nightmare. Here is Morgan wants to say a word-" My
dear Livy-I suppose Sydney has told you how
anxious we both are about you. I fear it will be yet
some time before we shall hear how matters have gone
with you; by this, however, you must be out of the
scrape, I trust to your entire satisfaction.
Sydney,
who takes everything in heroics, is not, however, so
easily satisfied, and is impatient to know all about it.
If he is a boy, have him named after me, and I'll make
him a good Christian, and teach him to hate all heretics
and schismatics with all his heart, We conclude
Clarke has written to us, and that the letter is en
chemin; but write to us again as soon as you receive
this, lest the last should have miscarried. Old Barrois,
at the Hotel d'Orlians, is dying of dropsy, and has let
his house. You must therefore direct for the present,
chez Monsieur Warden, Rue de Pot de Fer, No. 12,
F. St. Germaine. I suppose Syd. has told you all the
news, and how delightfully we are situated here. We
have a musician from Paris in the house with us that
bates the world; he has long pieces of vocal music by
heart of Gliick's that would enchant you, full of force
and vigour, with the sweetest melodies. Salute our
brethren the wicked, and whip the children.-F. C. M."
Diary-La Grange.-A wintry evening kept us in

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the salon after coffee. The weather is quite changed.
The general entered to us, saying, "Allons, mes amis,
point de pelouse, et vivent les biches !"
The next moment half a forest blazed on the cavernous hearth, kindling the dead white ashes of former
times, where more than one Duchesse de Noailles may
have warmed her little feet.* We all cried out bravo!
The ladies took to work, the children to play, and ran
off to their schoolroom. All my Irish turf-fire habits
came strong upon me, and the idlers followed my
example, and "mettaient les pieds sur les chenets,"
that foyer of gossipry in France as in Ireland. Carbonel, however, went to a piano that looked very like
a spinnet, and muttered sotto voce, "La Sainte Alliance," the most anarchical of B6ranger's songs. It is
charming ! and didn't we all join in the refrain!
" Vivent les rois qui sont unis,
Vivent Algier, Maroc, et Tunis !"

It was encored; and then he sang:us an unpublished
one, called "Mon petit coin." It begins,
"Non, le monde ne peut me plaire."

Carbonel said, "It is not only unpublished, but it is
not even written down by himself; for he never writes
* The chateau of La Grange was inherited by the general in right of
his wife, the daughter of the Duc de Noailles.

LADY MORGAN.

89

down his songs, but leaves them to his friends to pick
up as they can when he sings them."
"And where does he sing them ?" asked Morgan;
"for one would go on a pilgrimage to hear him."
"Au caveau,"* said Carbonel, laughing.
"And where is that ?" I asked.
" The caveau is his favourite haunt, and from time
immemorial it has been sacred to good wine and good
fellowship."
Morgan observed, " These joyous cellars were derived
from monkish times; for the good fathers often left
l'htel for le caveau."
"By-the-by," said I, "when I was a child, I recol* Le caveau, he rementioned, may date back to the time of Henri IV.,
who, like our Charles II., was prone to de courir les aventures. He wrote
one of the best drinking-songs, and addressed it to his stern minister,
Sully. It begins-"Je bois a toi, Sulli!
Mais pour les divins appas
De la Duchesse Chapeau bas !"
It afterwards became a rendezvous for wits and humorists, and was
frequented by Pieron, Panard, Collet, and the two Crebillons, pere et fils.
Even in prudish England the Cyder Cellar has survived Crockford's
and occasionally been the resort of learning and fashion. Porson is said to
have composed his best Greek epigrams there, and Alvanley to have
frequented it. The charm of these cellars was probably their obscurity to
those who thought with Comus"'Tis only daylight that makes sin:"
it-reveals it! Sheridan, in his Duenna, was the last to bring forward
the jollifications of the " Monks of the Screw" for the amusement of the
public in his opera of the "iDuenna;" and the Irish Catholics, when it was
played in Dublin, assisted-an applauding audience!

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legt hearing my father say he was going to the 'October cellar,' which was in Trinity College. ' The
Silent Sister,' as Oxford and Cambridge call her, was,
to say the least, as famous for her 'October ale' as for
her Greek and Latin. The junior fellows had the privilege of inviting their friends one evening in the
week to drink and make merry in their Protestant
caveau, which was brilliantly lighted up for the occasion, and their orthodox ale was considered as their
eau benite.* But, general," continued I, "why don't
you invite the charming Beranger here ?"
"Because," said La Fayette, "he won't come. I
have asked him, and he has refused, on the same principle that he declined to dine with Talleyrand and the
Rochefoucaults-because I am trop grand seigneur. I
commissioned Manuel, the only one who has any power
over him, except it be la belle Lisette of the moment.
His answer was, 'My instinct leads me to the caveau,
and not to the chateau.' " t
"That," said I, "is rather the reverse of Moore,
whose instinct lies quite the other way."
To my great surprise, those present seemed to know
* It is curious to observe that the most frequented taverns in Dublin
were opened underground in the crypts of the two cathedrals and other
churches : probably a good old Catholic custom, sanctified by the place.
-See "History of Dublin," written by J. T. Gilbert, Hon. Sec. Irish
Archaeological and Celtic Society.
t Since the above scene occurred, here narrated, Beranger himself has
given a similar version of his refusal; but he does justice to the noble
character of the "seigneurs" with whom he declined to associate, and,
above all, to La Fayette.-See "Life of Beranger, 1858."

LADY MORGAN.

91

very little of Moore. I can understand how difficult
it would be to translate his works. Even the exquisite
verses adapted to Irish melodies are more classical than
national, and would answer for any country as well as
Ireland, with the exception of a very few Irish heroic
names and allusions. Moore is the chansonnier of the
British aristocracy, and belongs to gilded saloons and
grand pianofortes.
Bdranger has that fonds gaillard of French vivacity
which Rabelais and Moliere alike possessed (he always
sang at table without accompaniment), and which
makes him in every sense the chansonnier of France
alone, whilst he is also the ardent and unswerving
friend of her liberties.
Moore, in his love of the society of the great-B6ranger, in his aversion to it-only show in inverted
forms the same over value for external and accidental
advantages.
Vulgarity is setting store by "the things which are
seen." They who are poets by the grace of God, ought
to be able to look indifferently on outward show, to
leave coronets and the household gods of "plate and
gold, basins and ewers," and all their catalogue, to
their lawful guardians and bounden worshippers of the
Heralds' Office and the Butler's Pantry, neither rejecting the amenities of politeness (be the rank of the
person what it may), under pretence of being independent, nor seeking to affect familiarity, where there

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can be no social equality.* It is, however, curious that
both these men of genius should have sprung from
the people, the master race of energetic ability !
The general, turning to me, said, apropos of nothing, " What first induced you to write, Lady
Morgan ?"

"My instinct," said I; "for I certainly had very
little encouragement."
"Oh," said Morgan, "do relate your debit with
your first MS. in the bookseller's shop."
The suggestion was received with acclamation, and
I accordingly told them the "Birth, parentage, and
education of Mrs. Denis Bulgruthury," which produced
shouts of laughter, though they could not understand
the brogue or Irish gesticulation with which I gave it,
in which lies the greatest merit of the Irish raconteur.
I sang an Irish song for Carbonel, which I think surprised more than charmed him.
Sept. 14.-The happy news of my sister's happy
accouchement arrived this morning before we were up.
A BOY at last! I am sorry for it: those boys bode
* If I missed making acquaintance with Bdranger on this occasion, ten
years after I went along with my husband to visit him in the prison of
La Force, and had the honour of being received by him with cordial
courtesy.-See " France, 1829-30." Biranger took the place of Paul
Courier, and had his apartment in the state prison of France. " Les
envieux meurent, mais non l'envie ;" and though the Fouches, and Marchangers, and the Villeles, and the Blacas, have made their exit, there will
always be entrances for their successors when the agency of such men is
required.

9

LADY MORGAN.

93

no good, particularly the oniy son, as this may be, of
one who is all over morbid maternity.
Yesterday we accompanied La Fayette on a ramble
through his farms, and partly to meet the Prince and
Princesse Charles de Beauveau. As we passed the
ci-devant Pont Levis, I paused to look through the
open gates of the court at the fine old chateau, with
its souvenirs as far back as Louis le Gros, and all
the Noailles that ever were, the niece of Madame de
Maintenon included.
" These are dangerous fragments," I said, "of olden
times. They almost make one in love with feudality.
Quel beau heritage pour vos enfants !"
He answered, "Ma chere arnie, i n'y a qu'un beau
heritage; c'est une bonne education, morale, intellectualle, et physique."
"Et en donnant une bonne direction a leur intelligence," added Morgan, " for the benefit of society."

"Do you remember," said La Fayette,

" Beranger's

verses, ' La plainte d'un vieux vagabond ?'
"Comme un insecte, fait pour nuire :
Hlommes, que m'ecrasiez-vous ?
Au plutot, vous deviez m'instruire
A travailler au bien do tous.
Mis a 1'abri d'un vent contraire
Le ver filt devenu fourmi ;
Je vous aurais che'ri en frere,
Vieux agabond ; je meurs votre ennemi.' "

v

" Good

verses,"

philosophy.

said Morgan, laughing, " but bad

Nothing would make an ant of a worm."

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We laughed at this bit of natural history from the
physiologist, or, as the "Quarterly Review" would
call him, the materialist, and hand him over to Mr.
Reynolds, the Christian Advocate of Cambridge, for
prosecution or persecution, as it might turn out.
As I thought the general limped a little, although
Morgan gave him his arm, I proposed, as we reached
the extremity of the grande pelouse, that commands
such a beautiful view of the chateau and its five
towers, that we should sit down to enjoy the scene
on one of the many wooden benches with which the
grounds abound. The shade of two fine trees offered
us repose and shelter from the sun, and, above all, one
of those charming causeries with the general, to which
he unsuspectingly lent himself. In those low, slow,
modulated tones, which gave to everything he said
such emphasis, he answered our questions by replies,
that might almost be called historical.
"Is it true, general," I asked, " hat you once went
to a bal masque at the Opera with the Queen of France,
Marie Antoinette, leaning on your arm, the king
knowing nothing of the matter till after her return ?"
"I am afraid so," said he, "she was so indiscreet,
and I can conscientiously add, so innocent; however,
le Comte d'Artois was of the party, and we were all
young, enterprising, and pleasure-loving. But what is
most absurd in the adventure was, that when I pointed
out Madame du Barri to her-whose figure and

LADY MORGAN.

favourite domino I knew-the queen expressed the
most anxious desire to hear her speak, and bade me
intriguer her. She answered me flippantly, and I am
sure if I had offered her my other arm, the queen
would not have objected to it; such was the esprit
d'aventure at that time in the Court of Versailles, and
in the head of the haughty daughter of Austria." I
said, "Ah, general, you were their Cromwell Grandi-

son.
" Pas encore," replied he, smiling, "that soubriquet
was given me long after by Mirabeau." "I believe,"
said I, "the queen was quite taken with the American
cause." "She thought so, but understood nothing
about it," replied he.
" The world said at least," I added, with some hesitation, " that she favoured its young champion, le
h6ros des deux mondes." " Cancan de salon !" he
replied, and the subject was dropped.
I asked him if it were true that the Emperor
Napoleon had served under him? He replied, "No;
my intimacy with his compatriot Paoli gave rise to
the supposition. Napoleon was the general-in-chief
when his name first penetrated into my dungeon at
Olmutz. I was even ignorant of the events that followed the siege of Toulon. Buried alive, and, as I
believed, almost forgotten, my countrymen began at
that period to speak aloud of the prisoners of Olmutz,
and allusions were made to us-the Comte de Maubourg

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and myself-in the journals, the theatres, and even
The leading generals expressed
at the tribune.
an interest in our fate, and the first act of one
of the chiefs of the directory,* Barth6lemi, the
moment he heard of his nomination, was to write on
my behalf to the Emperor of Austria. So did the
directors, Carnot, Barras, and Rubel. The directory,
in fact, charged the French plenipotentiaries with our
deliverance, without any particular condition against
my return to France; but I knew nothing of this
negotiation until after my liberation. Bonaparte interested himself much for us, and hastened our deliverance by some months; our letters of acknowledgment
were addressed to the ministers of foreign relations,
Talleyrand, General Clarke, and General Bonaparte."
"I should like to see your letter to the citoyen
gendral-en-chef," I said.
"Remind me, Sir Charles, that it is given to you in
the evening," said the general;" I thought I had
already done so. I was rather surprised not to
receive an answer from Bonaparte, particularly as he
had told my friend, Madame de Stael, that he intended to write to me; but I discovered that he was
very angry at my" returning immediately to France.
He said, 'If he exposes himself to the chance of being
taken by the English, the coalition will never give
him up.' He added,' La Fayette has the talent of
* May, 1797.

LADY MORGAN.

97

making friends; if fortune were to abandon me, il ne
me resterait que ma femme, et peut-etre mon frere
Joseph: on a toujours la personne avec qui on couche.'
When Bonaparte returned from Egypt, I was in
Holland; my friends wrote me word that he was
well inclined to me. He was already powerful, as
every one felt that he was l'homme du circonstance.
He said to his brother Joseph, that I ought to be
named generalissimo of the National Guard. Alexandre Romoeuf brought me a passport for France, and
the commandant of Utrecht gave the mot d'ordre,
I then retired with
'Libert6, Paris, et La Fayette.'
my family, whom I gathered round me, to the mountains of the Haute Loire, in Auvergne, and I once
more found myself in the old feudal territory of the
He
My letter displeased Bonaparte.
La Fayette.
had
did not want me to return to France. Talleyrand
given me a rendezvous at St. Jean d'Angely. Madame
La Fayette, who was then in Paris, was, however,
graciously received by Bonaparte. He told her that
I
my sudden appearance entraverait sa marche.
know best, Madame, what is to be done for his
interests; I beg of him to avoid all eclat, je m'en
But he spoke of me
rapporte a son patriotism.'
with lively interest to Sieyes.* Volney joined me,
and I benefited much by his counsel to keep myself
quiet. Bonaparte adopted perfect silence in respect
* See letter from La Fayette to the Consul-Provisoire Bonaparte.
H

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to me, and when the eloge was pronounced on the
death of General Washington at the Invalides, he
desired the orator not to mention my name in the
oration, and was even angry that my son was invited
to the ceremony. During his government as First
Consul, I was frequently en rapportwith him: he was a
charming causeur: we had many curious conversations
together. Talleyrand was permitted to offer me, and
even to press me to accept an embassy to the United
States; a proposition backed by the ministers. I answered that I was too much an American to present myself in the part of a foreign diplomatist. Talleyrand
afterwards pressed on my acceptance a seat in the senate.
I declined it laughingly,: saying, that probably the very
day after my admission, I might find myself under
the necessity of denouncing the administration of the
chief. The mot was carried to the First Consul, who
said to General Dumas (father to the novelist),
SJe n'aime pas a passer pour un tyran: le G6ndral
La Fayette semble me designer comme tel.' I replied,
that if Bonaparte would serve the cause of liberty, I
would serve him with: devozment, but that I would
not serve or associate myself with an arbitrary government. On my return to Paris, notwithstanding all
these little tacquineries, I was in frequent rapports
with him, and after the infernal explosion, I waited on
him; the intention was simply to congratulate him
on his escape from one of the nearly successful

LADY MORGAN.

99

attempts of the Jacobins: the Chouans had their
share of the suspicion, while other reports traced
it to England. He told me that Louis XVIII. had
written to him to disavow the crime; a good letter,
said he, smiling, but finishing by begging that I
would place him on the throne; promising me a
statue, in which I should be represented as placing
the crown on the king's head !"
The glimpse of a carriage, winding its way amongst
the trees, interrupted this interesting conversation.
Sunday.-This is a always a happy and a joyous
day at La Grange; a day in which the blessed commandment, " In it thou shalt do no manner of
work," is strictly fulfilled. Religious service at the
parish church, a walk, a dinner-as well as I remember a cold dinner-a delicious lounge, sur la pelouse,
every one at ease, every one enjoying themselves;
and, to crown all, a dance in the great hall, which,
like Yorick's "dance of grace," was, in its innocent enjoyment, like this smiling celebration of the Sabbath.
The great hall (where the mark of one of Marshal
Turenne's balls had lodged during the Fronde, is
still visible) filled rapidly at eight o'clock with the
peasantry of the neighbourhood, the servants of the
castle, and all the company; two or three gensd'armes
looked in en passant. The ball opened with the steady
solemn dance of la ronde, to the music of the violin of
the conci rge, with the addition of a nondescript inH2

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strument, something like an English dulcimer, furnished by a poor Savoyard passing by, who had a
franc for his pay. All the company danced in the
first contre danse, with the exception of the general,
who stood looking on, and leaning on his stick, the
happiest of the happy. A little scene took place which
really gave the fete an air dramatique. While the
dance was going on, a party entered the outer door
from the court, and passed behind the dancers, through
a door which led to the interior of the castle. They
were a young gentleman in deep mourning, and one
something older, in travelling trim, followed by a
clumsy livery servant, with a most Diggory - like
appearance, and a portmanteau over his shoulders:
a groom with a trunk followed. The general started
up, exclaiming, "Mais c'est mon cher Auguste de
Stael!" This annonce brought all the house of La
Fayette, on their legs, who followed the interesting
guest who so unexpectedly, but so welcomely arrived.
I was very desirous to know him as Madame
de Stael's son, and favourite son. Of her elder one
who died young, she was wont to say, "Pauvre
garcon, il est imbecile comme son pere !" Le cadet,
on the contrary, might have walked out of a page of
Mademoiselle Scuderi's sentimental romances.
He
perpetuates une grande passion for a fair dame, who
can never be his, simply because she is another's. It
is said he is conscience-struck as well as heart-struck,

LADY MORGAN.

101

and consults his curl at Geneva on the mortal sin of
his attachment. He is a pious Calvinist, and, for
probity and honour, a worthy grandson of old Necker.
So much for what I had been told. As to my own
opinion, formed on a long conversation yesterday
evening when we returned to the salon, I thought
him a charmant jeune homme, et voila tout for the
present. So much for that day.

Diary- Tuesday.--Point de Beauveau,* an apology,
and so no Vaux until they come, because it would have
been a great treat to me to have visited the glorious
chateau of the Praslin-Choiseuls, where every square
inch of earth and water is consecrated to a history, from
Fouquet and La Vallire down to the present fair representative of a race of charming women. The Princesse
Charles de Beauveau is the daughter of the present Duc
de Praslin-Choiseul.
Charming days, more charming evenings, flow on
in a perpetual stream of enjoyment here. The general
and myself sit alternately to Scheffer for our picture;
Carbonel, full of some new composition, drops in, and
then drops down at the piano, and mutters and strums
some pretty phrases, and then runs off to his room to
note them. Auguste Thierry gives us an historical
anecdote now and then worthy of all Rollin ever
*

See " Book of the Boudoir," for a notice of Vaux and Fouquet's party.

DIARY OF

102

wrote, or any German historian ever will write; the
young ladies brodent; Madame George La Fayette and
the Comtesse Lastyrie ; and the Comtesse de Maubourg
are busy with the children, and do not appear; then we
walk or drive; yesterday to Vaux, which upset us all;
after dinner conversazione, sometimes sur la pelouse as
long as the light lasts, and then in the salons, where we
get the general on his legs, and set him a-talking, particularly as to his rapportswith Napoleon; for having
voted against the consulate for life, all intercourse
between them ceased; but he ended in saying last
night, " Cependant, Bonaparte avait toujours de l'attrait
pour moi.

From Sir Charles Morgan to Lady Clarke.
La Grange, Seine et Maire,
September 16, 1818.
MY DEAR LIvIBUs,

CLARKY'S letter arrived this morning, and re-

lieved us from an anxiety that was becoming every
day more insupportable. Sydney, whose imagination
is always afloat, had composed a romance of God
knows what misfortunes; and even I was beginning
to think there was something amiss. You may suppose we are both in high spirits at your safety, and at
the good time you have had: but, upon reflection, we
are afraid, you have fared so well, that you will be
"having these frolics often," and then, you know, "it
will be pleasant spending a summer with you." For

LADY MORGAN.

103

God's sake, however, think better of it; at best it is a
vilain me'tier, and if you will take the pains to read
three thick volumes of Malthus on Population, you
will find it not a very profitable one. I suppose you
are in love with the warm bath; La Fayette tells me
that the Due de Broglie's sister (sister-in-law to
young De Stael, who is now here on a visit) is usually
put into a bath under similar circumstances-a practice which is now becoming fashionable. Tell this to
Clarke. But, above all, I congratulate Molly * upon
the turn affairs have taken: she, who is a connoisseur
and an amateur, will have great pleasure in the event.
We are leading a most delightful life here: the place
is heavenly, the weather good, and our host what he
always is. We have a constant succession of visitors,
all more or less distinguished.
Young De Stael
speaks English with the accent and manner of our
English men of fashion, whom he much resembles in
his dress and address: he is full of all sorts of information, and a great musician. We have had every evening music of the very best description. M. Carbonel,
who has left us this morning, is a thorough proficient
in the science, with an immense musical memory, and
sings to perfection, though without much voice. By
dint of sharp sixths and flat sevenths'we have become
very intimate. He has played for me a great deal
* This faithful old servant had nursed both my sister and myself.-

S. M.

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from Glick's operas, and has raised the French opera
(as a school) very much in my estimation. The music
is passionate, rich in harmony, abounds in transitions,
and possesses here and there fine strains of melody:
per contra, it is trainante often too scientific and oldfashioned in its phrases. On the whole you would
admire it greatly, and I think I shall bring over one
or two of the best operas. Sydney is going to sit for
her picture. I think posterity will dispute on her, as
we do on Hercules, to know whether there was one or
many Lady M.'s, seeing that not one of her portraits
resembles the other. I must leave off, for I have
only this page allowed me. Whatever you call the
boy, he must be a Charles; for as I mean to take
charge of that most essential part of a gentleman's
education, his vices, he will doubtless be worthy of
that appellation. Thank Clarke for his news, and
salute him.
Yours till death, &c.,
C.M.
La Grange, Sept. 1818.

MY DEAR LOVE,

You have no idea the delight your letters gave
us. I was so unhappy, that in the midst of enjoyme.t I could enjoy nothing, and was absolutely planning an immediate return to Ireland when your letter
arrived. As every one here took part in our anxiety,
every one sympathised in our joy; and to show you

LADY MORGAN.

105

the extent of the good-nature of these people-deemed
so heartless-a charming woman, who left this for
Paris a few days since, Madame de Maisonneuve,
desired them to write to her an account of your
accouchement. She did not say a word to me, but I
found one of the ladies writing to her, and she told me
it was by her orders, for that she was quite unhappy
to see me so concerned. Do you know, I am quite
delighted you have a boy: he will be easily provided
for. We will educate him among us, and he will be a
comfort and protection to his sisters. I should much
wish him to be named after poor dear papa, and after
his own father, also. It is a pity I am not with you,
to read Rousseau's "Emile" to the nurse; not that I
succeeded much in that way with Syd's attendant. I
hope you have not made too free with yourself, and
that you are just as careful as if you had had a bad
time. What I would give to have you all here! You
would be delighted with the scene of domestic happiness, enjoyment, and goodness which this family
presents.
Although there are three families, the
twelve cousins, brothers and sisters, live in the most
perfect harmony. The eldest boy, Jules, ten years
old, has really a sort of gallantry for the little girls,
besides being my professed lover. Every morning,
before I am up, he has a nosegay ready for me, which
he lays on my breakfast-plate, and then another when
I go to-'dress for dinner. Since I came to the house, I
never heard the cry of a child, nor have seen the

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symptoms of a dispute. They are all so polite and affectionate to each other, and so unlike English children,
that I am convinced the French character is more physically amiable than ours. On Sunday there was a fete
du village, and we all walked down to the village to join
it. It was completely such a scene as one sees at the
Opera. The villages here are very straggling, and
resemble English hamlets rather than towns; but the
scene of action was principally in a little square before
the gates of a little nunnery, where all the nuns were
assembled in their habits, in the midst of the fun.
This religious house-which was founded by the
Duchesse de Noailles, M. La Fayette's mother-in-law
-leaves the sisterhood at liberty to go out, and is
almost laical. Several groups of young men, playing
the violin, were walking through the village to select
the dancers.
Some were- shooting arrows, others
trying fortunes, a number of little booths with
toys, &c., &c. The beaux had their hair powdered
as white as snow, with immense queues, and dimity
jackets and trousers : the women in such caps as I
brought over, with a profusion of lace, gold crosses,'
white gowns, and scarlet aprons. At four o'clock the
ball began on the green. It is astonishing to see with
what perfection men, women, and children dance the
quadrilles, which are here called country dances, and
how serious they all look. We left them hard at it,
and retired to dinner at five. They all came up to
the general to speak to him. He shook hands with

LADY MORGAN.

107

all the old folk, and talked to them of their farms.
It was the most delightful scene you can imagine.
My English dress excited great amazement, especially
a long gray cloak I brought from London. In the
evening there was (as there is every Sunday evening)
un bal au chdteau. After coffee we all went down to
the hall, and there children, guests, masters, mistresses,
and servants joined together in the dance, as they
had done in the morning at prayers, for there is a
chapel belonging to the chateau, where the priest of
the parish officiates.
The servants danced in the
quadrilles--six femmes-de-chambre, and all the lacqueys.* Oscar and Octavie, the two young ones, three
and four years old, danced every quadrille, and never
once were out ;-in short, these scenes of innocence,
and gaiety, and primitive manners are daily repeated.
In the midst of our ball the Baron de Stael arrived. The
general is the oldest of Madame de Stael's friends, and
greatly attached to her children. M. de Stael is a
very superior person, interesting, and talking English
fluently, to our great relief. His sister, the Duchesse
de Broglie, is expected in a fortnight. He sits by me
every day at dinner, which affords me an opportunity
of conversing with him, and learning a good deal of
his mother, whom he seems to have adored. He told
* This condescension on the part of the masters never induces want of
respect or familiarity on the part of the servants, and explains the intimacy
of the Columbines and Scapins of the old French Comedies with their
masters.

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me that a little before she died she had my " France"
read out to her, and was much pleased with it. He
has shown us two miniatures of her, one of which he
is sending to the Duchess of York, a great friend of
theirs. He is now busy reading "O'Donnel," and
seems to understand MacRory perfectly. All the clever
men from Paris come here constantly: our party is
usually from twenty to thirty. I am sitting for my
picture to M. Scheffer, in oil, and large as life. My
little harp has had the greatest success: in short,
every one has their day from which they date, and
this is mine. On Monday the vintage begins, and
that is a great festival here. Mrs. Solly (Morgan's
sister-in-law) has arrived in Paris. She is quite a
dasher, and longing to have me with her. You have
no idea how fat I am grown already: I think I am
not the same person I was in England. The Duchesse
de Berri has miscarried-four months gone : they
style the produce of this fausse couche, in the papers,
the high and mighty prince. I'm glad you liked the
things : did you get Miss Nugent's parcel ? -boots
and stockings for baby. To save you the expense of
paying postage in Dublin, get your letters franked to
Colburn, and he will forward them; but write him
always a line on the envelope to beg he will forward
them directly. When Crewe* returns to London, you
* Sir Charles Morgan's cousin, and was at that time Secretary to the
Ordnance.

LADY MORGAN.

109

can send through him. Now, as postage is so expensive to you, don't expect a letter from us for some
time: this is the fourth we have written since we
came to France. Your letter to me was opened, and
sealed again most clumsily. Have you got my picture
from Colburn? We think, to avoid the risk of cross
posts, you had better direct your letters to us to M.
Warden, at Paris, until we leave La Grange, as he
does all our commissions for us. Direct thus :-Chevalier Morgan, chez- M. Warden, No. 12 Rue Pot-auFer, Faubourg St. Germain.
Thousands of loves and kisses to the child; our
compliments to Sir Arthur and Clarke; most particular remembrances to Mrs. Fletcher and Mrs. Bushe;
to whom, on my return to Paris, I mean to write.
Recollections to the Doyles. I hear of nothing so
much as the good my book has done.
Write soon, and God bless you all!
Sept. 1818.

Diary-Sept. 1818. ---In answer to some question of
Morgan's, relative to the famous coup d'6tat of the
eighteenth Brumaire, the general said that Bonaparte
had expressed himself contemptuously of coups d'6tat,
except when they were justified by very extraordinary
circumstances.
Sir Charles observed that, " Coups
d'6etat being the triumph of brute force, rarely the result
of moral combinations, seem to have been peculiar to
semi-barbarous times. Clovis, Pepin le Bref, and Hugh

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Capet, gave the first examples in modern times of
coups d'6tat, so that they began early in France. Its
religious coups d'tat-the Massacre of St. Bartholomew, and Louis XIV.'s revocation of the Edict of
Nantes-produced the greatest evils France has ever
sustained from despotic coups d'etat. In England,"
continued Sir Charles, "such violent outbursts have
been few and far between : Cromwell and William III.
scarcely come under the category." My ignorance
ventured to suggest that the ancients did not excel
either in such designs or in their execution: the murder
of Caesar was a vulgar crime and a personal treachery.
"It would be impossible," said I, "to have a coup d'6tat
in Ireland-Paddy could never keep his secret, but
whirling his shillalagh over his head, he would give
his old cry of 'Faugh na ballagh!' (clear the road!)
which produced such an effect when General Sir
John Doyle led on his own 'Irish boys' at the Battle
of Waterloo."
Yesterday the weather was so fine that we started
for Vaux, for ever notable in the fasti of unmitigated despotism for one of the most splendid
fetes ever given, and for one of the meanest crimes
ever committed by unlimited power. The gorgeous
palace of Vaux was raised by Fouquet, the last surintendant of France, in the reign of Louis XIV., a
man whose name belongs to history and poetry, the
protector of Moliere and of La Fontaine, the victim

LADY MORGAN.

111

of Colbert and Louis XIV. His existence was
scarcely known, when he was seen occupying the
highest dignities of the kingdom-commanding its
wealth, governing its monarch, and second only to
Mazarin. Scarcely appointed to the ministry of
finance, than he passes from his golden salons of
Vaux to the dungeons of Pignerol; scarcely under
the towers of Pignerol than he is forgotten, and his
great name a sound signifying nothing. Such are the
merits of despotism! The fete given ostensibly to
his royal master, but really with reference to the
king's beautiful mistress, La Vffllire, was celebrated
on the 16th of August, 1661,* and on the 17th of the
following month he was doomed to death and cruelly
reprieved for perpetual incarceration. Six thousand
invitations for this fete had been sent to England,
Italy, and Spain. A king, a queen, princes, ambassadors were among the guests; but the name of him
who composed his charming comedy of "Les Facheux"
for the occasion is, perhaps, the only one on whom
posterity will dwell with pleasure.
As we now approached the noble place, all appeared
silence and desolation; neither the grands nor petits
eaux threw up their diamond springs in the sunshine;
and as we drove through the gates where Louis XIV.
had ordered his Mousquetaires Gris-those famous and
fatal household troops-to be in readiness to guard the
* The year after the restoration of Charles II.

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intended arrest of his betrayed host and minister, we
perceived that one of the great ironi grilles hung off its
hinges. We passed into the celebrated cour des bornes,
where the royal lottery had been held, and its four
stalls presided over by the King in person, Anne of
Austria, Henrietta of England, Duchess of Orleans,
and the duke, the king's brother. The stalls were
formed of odoriferous shrubs, and prizes were won
(furnished by the gorgeous host), which comprised the
most precious gems along with invaluable works of
art-collars of pearl, bracelets of diamonds, and, above
all, sculptured gems'in which the royal deity of the
day was depicted in every form of grace and dignity.
It is traditional " that to Madame de Sevign6's lot fell
an ermine muff (then of immense value), which she
sent to the dangerous Ninon de l'Enclos, who was
tr s-frileuse, to bribe her to spare her spells over her
young son; an unnecessary caution, as Ninon declared
that the young de Sevign6's heart was une pompion
fritte en niege."
We passed on to the vestibule, once paved with blue
and white marble, and where Louis XIV. had once
trod with a conscious power, like Solomon, Augustus,
Napoleon.
In the billiard-room, formerly called the Salle de
Hercule, we looked in vain for the squirrel and the
serpent, which once formed part of the ornament of
the architrave, images emblematic of the power of

LADY MORGAN.

113

Fouquet and the rising envy of his successor Colbert;
but among the defaced arabesques few traces of the
original design were visible, or of the many other
allegorical works of art and epigrammatic mottoes,
one of which attracted Louis XIV. on the occasion
of this festive visit, and which he in vain endeavoured
to understand, being au bout de son Latin; and he
turned to his accomplished English sister-in-law, the
Duchess of Orleans, for the meaning of the inscription,
which was round a figure of Apollo chasing the monsters from the earth.

The duchess read

"Qub non ascendam ?"
O ne monterai-je pas ?

We passed on through a splendid room, called the
Salon ; and through several smaller rooms, more or less
neglected and disfigured. We came to one which is
still called the "cabinet de prediction," and which is
celebrated for Le Brun's beautiful picture of Sleep,
imaged as a beautiful woman asleep, of whom La
Fontaine, in his poem of " Le Songe de Vaux," observes:"Laisse tomber des fleurs, et ne les rdpande pas."

When those "brigands du Nord" (Russians) entered
the Chateau de Vaux, in 1813, they destroyed all
that was get-at-able in this boudoir except the plafond,
which was beyond their reach, and contains the beautiful "Sommeil" of Le Brun; but they cut with

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their swords furniture almost as beautiful, and made
handkerchiefs for their heads and necks of the fine
tapestries of Aubuisson, which covered the furniture.* In the noble salle a manger stood a large
coarse deal table. One of the drawers was half open.
I had the vile curiosity to draw it out : it contained
a pewter salt-cellar, with some black salt, some stale
bread, and a mouthful of cheese, and a dirty coarse
canvas serviette. I shut it up-the transition from
the fete of 1661, given by one of the most sumptuous
of ministers to the most despotic of kings, surpassed
all that philosophy can collect to give point to her
admonitions.
The impressions made on me by this great monument of the times it represented-the sweep of events
that had passed over its dilapidated walls--depressed
and fatigued me. What a refreshment, on entering
the salle a manger at La Grange, to see all the children
and grandchildren awaiting our return with hungry
impatience !t

* The Russians were not more complete in their notions of costume
than the New Zealanders of the present day, who strut about in an
English shirt-collar and a pair of boots, neglecting le beau milieu-leaving
the interval to nature's own toilet.
t Chateau de Vaux was the residence of the late Duc de Praslin, of
miserable memory.

LADY MORGAN.

115

Return to Parisfrom La Grange.

October 6th, 1818.

ARRIVED in Paris from La Grange, October 1st 1818.
Having stayed two days, to repack our things, in the
Hotel d'Espagne, we took possession of a charming
apartment in the Rue d'Anjou-very near La Fayette's
town residence, and in the midst of all our friends.
Madame d'Houchien gave us a little dinner, where we
met dear Denon, the Baron Beneval-late private
secretary to the Emperor and the Baron de Mortemart, very pleasant-a good creature, and an amusing
artist, for he turned a pack of cards into groups a
mourir de rire-the nine of diamonds, for example,
composed a group of blanchisseuses, with their tubs
in the centre. I have kept them all for dear old
George Street.
Denon, always delightful, was less
talkative than usual, because he would make me
describe my life at La Grange, &c., &c.
Saturday, October 3.-We went to the Institute,
accompanied by the celebrated and learned aveugle,
Charles Pougence,* and his amiable English wife. It
was a very full seance. I remembered many of the
* He was one of the most learned men of his time, and wrote several
works of history, biography, &c., and he was blind from his birth.

12

116

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fine heads that had struck me in 1816. Cuvier seized
on Morgan as we entered, and placed him among the
members. This pleased me more than if they had
placed me on a pedestal and worshipped me as an
Isis. Not but what I had my petit bout of homage
too; for many of them, as they handed me on, expressed their regret that ladies were not allowed to
be members of their society. I said, " It is always
the remains of your loi salique." Among the pleasant
recognitions of friends already known, and of others
who wished to become friends on this occasion, an
incident occurred, which would be a painful view of
human nature, if it were not, at the same time, an
amusing and absurd one. I give it as it occurred,
and announce the hero as M. Charles Dupin. It
happened one evening in Kildare Street, as my
husband was, as usual, at the piano, a note was
presented, in French-English, from a Monsieur Charles
Dupin, who had met with a severe accident on
landing from the packet three weeks before, and who
now appealed to our sympathy. He had no letter of
introduction, and was still confined to his bedroom,
suffering and alone, in a land of strangers. He wrote
to us on the strength of my work on France. Without further delay Sir Charles dropped Handel, called
for his hat and coat, and set off for M. Dupin's
lodging, like a good Samaritan as he was. The
result of this visit was, that he continued his attend-

LADY MORGAN.

117

ance both as a friend and a physician* until his patient
was able to become his guest, and took his place at
our little round table as often as he pleased. We had
also the pleasure of presenting Monsieur Dupin to the
most. distinguished persons in Dublin. He repaid our
hospitality by gallant poems to me of a Valentine
fashion, and professions to Sir Charles of unalterable
attachment and esteem. On his departure he threw
out a hint that he had been employing his convalescent
hours in writing a commentary on my "France,"
which he considered just, and he hoped I would not
consider displeasing. It would make, he said, a good
brochure, and he would send me a duplicate MS. copy,
in case I should wish to defend certain political
opinions which were not exactly his. I said, that
opinion was free to the world, and that I could not
object to the exercise of the right of private judgment
by another when I took it myself. And so we parted,
tres-bon amis. This was in 1817. Shortly after, I
received the MS. brochure: it was impossible for anything to be more severe or disagreeable.
The first person I met on the steps of the Institute
was M. Charles Dupin. We saluted him with cordiality. He turned from us in apparently supercilious
surprise at the liberty we took, for we were still under
* Though my husband's professional skill was always at the service of
his friends and the poor, he had given up his profession at the period of
the prosecution of " The Christian Advocate ;" after which he never practised or took a fee. He refused to belong to a profession whose great
truths he was not permitted to avow.

118

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the Bourbon ban. " Good den, Sir Richard. God-amercy, fellow !" Although we often met in society,
we never renewed our acquaintance. He has risen
rapidly, however.*
I observed that several of the young men wore
spectacles, and men in the prime of life were bald.
Some of the most eminent were almost blind. The
Comte de Tracy, Benjamin Constant, the Comte de
Segur, and others of less note, were among the latter.
Study, vigils, and brilliant lights account for this
greatest of all calamities, so prevalent in France among
the learned and the enlightened. Certainly, a great
sensation was awakened by the crowning of the young
men who had won their medals, &c., &c. Query as to
the effect of these institutions ? Mediocrity protected,
vanity gratified, genius trammelled, and exertions
forestalled. Intrigue and family rank and influence
have always much to do in these matters. The present Duc de Richelieu, on his election, modestly
observed-" Je suis ici pour mon grand-pere ;" and
the poor pedagogue, who started up at the same moment, with his book in his hand, exclaimed-" Et
moi, pour ma grammaire." t
* His "Voyages dans la Grande Bretagne," in 6 vols., were published
in 1820, but do not, of course, contain any reference to the above incidents
which, as the Italian Arliquino says, "Toca, a me."
t Apropos of such dramatic effect, Denon observed that the fetefunebre
of Dessaix, got up by Bonaparte, on Mont St. Bernard, when six hundred
soldiers were billeted on the convent to throw laurels on the tomb of the
hero, was merely a grand spectacle-the monks and military officiating,

LADY MqJGAN.

119

Petit diner afterwards with DInon in his splendid
palace of the arts, a parti carrd; only his nephew,
M. Brunet, and ourselves-as good a lad as ever
stepped in shoe-leather.

Monsieur Raoul Bochette to Lady Morgan.
Palace of the French Institute, Western Pavilion, Paris.
MADAM,

I HAVE too much reason to congratulate myself
on the occasion which has procured for me the honour
of your acquaintance not to seize with eagerness all
that may renew it. If the sitting of the Institute
could possibly interest you, I should feel doubly
flattered, first, because it would be honoured by your
presence, and also because the ideas I should express
there might possibly suggest to you some connection
with those which you have so agreeably displayed in
your charming work of " Glorvina."* At any rate,
Madam, I shall esteem myself extremely fortunate in
having been able to offer you that respectful homage;
and if, as you have had the goodness to permit me to
hope, your memory could suggest any anecdotes
relative to improvisation, with which I might embellish the work I am preparing on that subject, I
and the scene the summit of the Alps. We observed that the young men
who won the prizes never even looked at the medals, which they received
with the most nonchalant air.
* "The Wild Irish Girl."

DIDY OF

120

should feel proud, by preserving this, in rendering you
a public testimony of the high esteem I profess for the
talents of the authoress of "Ida," "Glorvina," and
" O'Donnel."
Accept, Madam, the respectful devotion of one of
your sincerest admirers.
RAOUL ROCHETTE,
Member of the French Institute, Professor
of History in the Faculty of Letters of
the Academy of Paris,&c., &c.

Madame de Villette to Lady Morgan.
Paris, October 9th, 1818.

MADAM,

I HAVE passed two months in the country, consoling an unfortunate mother, who has lost her only
son by a terrible catastrophe. I read no papers, and
only learned your residence in Paris two days ago. I
hastened to ascertain your address, that I might express the pleasure I should have in seeing you. Will
you be so obliging as to let me know when I may
hope to find you at home ? I wish to signify to you
in person how much I have been flattered by the kind
and too-indulgent things you have said of me in your
work, for the slightest details become interesting by
the charming manner in which they are related.
Accept, I pray you, Madam, the assurance of the
distinguished sentiments with which I have the honour
to remain
Your very humble servant,
THE

MARCHIONESS

DE VILLETTE.

LADY MORGAN.

121

From General La Fayette to Sir Chirles Morgan.
Monday morning.

I FULLY reckoned on having the pleasure of seeing
you, my dear Sir Charles, but the death of the wife of
one of my intimate friends, and the duties resulting
therefrom have engrossed my entire morning. The
evening also has been occupied. I go out before eight
o'clock; but I shall call at your residence between two
and three in the day, or between seven and eight in
the evening, if I do not find you at the earlier hour.
I have not neglected the affair of your translation. I
think I have found what will suit you. The work is
still in the hands of the member of the Institute, or
according to the new style, of the Academy of Sciences,
whom I have in view. Madame de Broglie has gone
to Lady Morgan's, and is most anxious to see her.
She has commissioned me to say so. Receive both
the assurance of my sincere friendship.
LA FAYETTE.

From Madame la Marquise de Villette to Lady Morgan.
Paris.

I AM deeply sensible of Lady Morgan's remembrance. An obstinate cold, which has tied me to the
corner of the fireplace for fifteen days, has been the sole
cause of depriving me of the pleasure of enjoying her
delightful society. I trust she is well persuaded of
the eagerness I shall display to recompense myself as
soon as I am in a condition to go out. I have not
even been able, as I intended, to be present the other
day at the Athenaeum, on the opening of M. Constant's

122

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course of lectures, and when I should have had the
pleasure of meeting Lady Morgan. I entreat her
ladyship to accept the assurance of my distinguished
consideration.
THE MARCHIONESS

DEAR
LOVE,
MY

DEAR

DE

VILLETTE.

Paris, October 8, 1818,
4, Rue d'Anjou, Faubourg St. Honore.

LOVE,

SINCE Clarke's most welcome letter, dated Sept.
7th, we have not received a line from you; and delighted beyond expression as we were with the good
news, we were still most anxious to hear how things
were going on, and that you were fairly out of the
wood. We have written you four letters from Calais,
one or two from La Grange, and one from Paris on
our arrival, and have not received an answer to a
single one. For God's sake write on receipt of this
and direct as above, and don't send it under cover to
any one; for I fear that is the way we have missed
your letters, as I take it for granted you must have
written in the course of five weeks. We spent a
month at La Grange that appeared an hour, and with
difficulty got away. I never saw so perfect a picture
of virtue and happiness. Besides our usual amusements and occupations, we had the enjoyment of the
vendages, or gathering in of the grapes. There were
above two hundred persons employed in the vineyards
for three days, with all the family, visitors, children,

LADY MORGAN.

.

123

and servants, and all went out with their little baskets
and cutting-knives. May-be the children were not
happy! What I would have given to have had our
children among them! There was little Oscar (baby
in age), the future seigneur du chdteau, laden with
his basket in the morning, and dancing quadrilles in
the evening, with the gravity of a French dancingmaster. The vendages, however, is not so picturesque
as I made it in my " Novice of St. Dominick." The
women cut and gather the grapes in little baskets,
then fill the hampers, which the men carry on their
backs, while they bring their loads to immense waggons
containing hogsheads, into which the grapes are flung.
Here, however, all is spoiled; for a number of little
boys jump into the hogsheads, and with their naked
feet bruise the grapes as they are thrown in. All the
wine you drink is made so. When the vines were all
gathered, the vinedressers came in procession under
the castle windows with a large vine-tree hung with
flowers and fruit (like our Maypole), and carried it
solemnly round the court and lawn. They had refreshments and a dance, and so ended the Vintage.
The wine is so plenty, that any one bringing two
hogsheads gets one filled with wine for leaving the
other behind him. On our arrival in Paris, our first
object was to fix ourselves comfortably, as we mean to
stay here for the three severe winter months, and then
proceed to Italy. We were determined to leave the
old-fashioned quarter of the Faubourg St. Germaine, as

124

1

DIARY OF

being too remote and gloomy, and the focus of all the
old emigres and ultras, and we are now fixed in what is
called " le quartier brillant,"-the west end of the
town. We have not more than half the rooms we
had where we were; but the other advantages
outweigh this consideration. We have delicious air,
are in the midst of all our friends, and of everything
that is delightful; close to the Champs Elysees, in a
superb hotel, which stands in a large light court,
planted with shrubs and flowers even now in full blow.
The rooms are very small, en suite, clean, fresh, and
pretty, with a little staircase to ourselves. We have
got a pianoforte, and every room stuffed with flowerpots. You will be surprised to hear, as I am to see,
that there is a sort of second spring in France, when
the season is fine, as this has been; and I have at this
moment the greatest quantity of mignionette, roses,
pinks, jasmine, all in full flower and bloom, as if in
the month of May, in the corners of the room. I have
tall, beautiful green trees, five feet high, and all for
seven francs (5s. 10d.). I am delighted with our lodgings; but, from the experience of last night, I am told
I must seek for larger ones, for I had a party, and the
French people were suffocated. The night before I was
at a re'union at the famous Benjamin Constant's, and
mentioned that I should be at home on Thursday
evenings. Imagine my surprise to find my rooms
crowded the next night, and certainly with all that
Paris has most distinguished; for there was in one

LADY MORGAN.

125

group in the beginning of the evening Denon, La
Fayette, Constant, Jay,* and the Baron de Stael.
No one went away till near one o'clock-a thing unknown here; and every one seemed amazed to find so
many people collected at this season of the year,
and all so distinguished. M. Constant said that the
moment it was known I opened my salon in the
evening, I should have half Paris trying to get admittance, and they have persuaded us to get a larger
apartment, which I submit to unwillingly, as we are
so snug. I had some French women, but only three
English-Mr. Rogers (a college friend of Morgan's),
Mrs. Langford Brook, of our fine London acquaintance, and Mrs. Dawson, mother to Lord Cremorne. I
never saw women so delighted, and so grateful.
Though some time at Paris, they had never been in
French society before, and seeing so many famous
people together was a great point. I mean, however,
to keep as clear of the British as possible, as they are
neither profitable nor amusing.
I have had a quantity of books of one sort or other
sent to me by different authors. The Comte de Segur
has presented me, and brought them himself, with above
twenty volumes of his works; and Denon has given me
a fine collection of his engravings. Scheffer finished
my picture while at La Grange-the most striking
likeness you ever saw, but flattering. The hands,
* Jay is the author of many excellent political works, and editor of
the "Minerve "-the "Edinburgh Review" of Paris. He is witty and
pleasant.

126

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arms, and drapery admirable. It is done for the
Exhibition here; but whether it is to fall to my lot
afterwards I don't know. He has introduced the
little harp into it. Tell Egan all the world is running
after his harp, and that he will soon be as well known
here as at Dublin. Although Paris is still comparatively empty, we have constant invitations in the few
days we have been here since our return, and it is
evident I have gained cent. per cent. since I was here
last. Mrs. Solly (Morgan's sister-in-law) spends the
winter here. They are enormously rich, give great entertainments, and will be an acquisition to us. You are
not to suppose we spend all our days in idleness; for
we study hard as ever in our different departments.
I give an hour to Italian every morning, and have
begun a course of history, ancient and modern, to rub
up my memory before I touch on classic ground.
Morgan is busy with his physiology and hospitals,
and all that occurs. We shut ourselves up till three
o'clock every day; and, what will surprise you, we
went to a grand seance at the Institute (such as I
have described in my " France "). It was for giving
medals to the young elves in music, painting, and
statuary who had won the grand prizes, and were
to be therefore sent to Italy to perfect themselves, at
the expense of government. We were late, and as
soon as we came in, Cuvier (who, like the rest of the
members of the Institute, sat in full costume apart
from the spectators) rose and took Morgan by the

LADY MORGAN.

127

arm, and placed him on the seat with the learned
members. This was very handsome; and, as all the
rest were dressed in embroidered clothes, point lace,
and swords, Morgan was pretty conspicuous in his
plain black dress. Nothing could be so affecting as
the whole exhibition: I cried the whole time. After
the president read the discours the young men (all
lads, very interesting-looking, and dressed in black)
came forward one by one, their age and name being
announced aloud, and ascended the tribune. The president presented the young and successful candidate
for immortality a little wreath of laurel and a gold
medal, and embraced and congratulated him affectionately. The hall rung with applauses. The young
men then ran, or rather flew, to the circle of the Institute, where the master of each e'lve (all celebrated
men) sat in the greatest agitation. They literally
sprang into each other's arms, and the triumph of the
master and gratitude of the pupil were expressed not
only by embraces the most cordial, but by tears.
When Gros, the famous painter, and Cherubini, the
composer, received their triumphant pupils, I could see
the working of their expressive countenances, as I was
quite close to them. When the young men returned
to their seats they laid their little crowns at their feet,
and never once looked at the fine gold medals they
had received. There were above five hundred persons
present (in full dress), and fine music. It was a beautiful and most affecting sight.

128

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Conceive Colburn's neglect: he has never written us
a line, nor let us know whether either of our books
has been published, nor sent us a copy of either of
our works. Has he sent you my picture, &c., &c., &c.?
Is our house likely to be let for the winter ?-God
send-as it will be of great use to us. Morgan is
more anxious about "The Clarkes" than I am. We
both long to have a peep at you all. I am grown so
fat, you would scarcely know me, and am, thank God,
in excellent health and spirits, as I trust you are all,
you dear souls ! I shall expect great improvement in
French and music from the " chillies," who must write
to me soon.
God bless you all!

Diary.-We are become regular fldneurs. We work
from nine till three, and then we are off! Visits to paysights to see and libraries to fumble in! all a propos
to our grand Italian enterprise ! "It is wonderful,"
said Denon once to a very portentous pedant, "que des
choses que vous ne connaissez pas !" It is the case
with us: we don't feel our ignorance till we begin to
learn a little !
Just as we were stepping out of the porte-cochere, this
morning Micali was stepping in-Micali, the historian
of "L'Italia avanti Romani." I took his arm, and
we carried him off with us; a most appropriate compagnon d'armes, for we were starting for the Biblio-

LADY MORGAN.

129

theque Royale, with its celebrated librarian, M.
Langlais. After a charming two hours, we agreed we
would all go and dine at the Palais Royale. We
parted after our demi-tasse, and with our tablets teeming, went home to dress for a soiree priee at Denon's,
given in honour of the most charming woman in
Paris, Madame St. Aulaire and mother-in-law of the
Duc de Cazes. Lo! when we arrived at home, we
found a card from Auguste Thierry, the future historian of France; for hitherto France has only had.
chronicles and memoirs, and perhaps, after all, genei-ally "les uns valent bien les autres !"
Humboldt had called, and, as usual, had written his
scrap in the porter's lodge. The poor porter! had he
known the value of this autograph he would have
pilfered it; and, what renders it more curious, it is
written on the back of a milliner's card!
Diary.-Went to a soiree at Madame Sophie Gay's,
a beautiful writer, and still a pretty woman, in spite
of the rivalry of two beautiful daughters who were in
attendance on her all the night, Madame O'Donnel and
Delphine Gay,* still in her teens, but promising to surpass her mother's full-blown talent.
Madame O'Donnel thanked me gracefully for illusSDelphine Gay, as Madame Emile de Girardin, fulfilled all my prophecies of her future fame. Her novels are too well known to need commendation. "Les Parisiennes" is said to be her best; and among her comedies
"Lady Tartuffe," illustrated by Rachel's acting, had a great success. She
died in the prime of her life and talents.

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trating the name of her husband, General O'Donnel,
who begged permission to wait on me. These French
women have such a peculiar grace in saying gracious
things ! a certain little twist about the mouth; a movement of goodwill which is pleasant, but has not the
affectation to faire la moue. I made the remark to a
John Bull who was standing near me, and he replied,
gruffly, "Grimace, ma'am-all grimace ;" a sentence
which his wife-a piece of still-life with an implacable
face, all Sternhold and Hopkins in every featureendorsed.
There were many celebrities present, literary and
dramatic; one particularly struck me-a fragment of
the supreme Beauty of the Directory: it was La Princesse de Chimie ! Madame Tallien, a puissance of the
Directory ! A very fine young man stood beside her:
it was her son, the present prince. I was presented
to her, and had a few minutes' pleasant conversation.
Another, a simple and elegant-looking woman, no
longer young, and plainly dressed in white silk, without a single ornament, and only a bandeau binding
her beautiful black hair; but such eyes! once seen
they were never to be forgotten. I asked Madame
Gay who she was; she hesitated, and then said, "Eh
bien, c'est Mademoiselle Mars."
"Then," said I, " those are the eyes of Elvira !"
"Yes," said Madame Gay, "et vous l'avez joliement
critiqu6 in your remarks on her acting in 'Le Tar-

LADY MORGAN.

131

tuffe;' h propos, I must not mislead you by letting you
suppose actresses are received in society with us as
they are with you; but I take out my privilege as an
auteur dramatique to receive a charming creature."
I moved on, half inclined to turn back to beg pardon

for my judgment on Elvira, which was in opposition to
that of all France, though I made to myself a mental
compliment on my moral courage !* All this time
Morgan was "in colloquy sublime " with Benjamin
Constant on the subject of their mutual eloges, Sir
Samuel Romilly. We afterwards went to Madame de
Souza's, who, as the Comtesse de Flahaut, during the
Revolution, had rendered herself remarkable by the
courage with which she had borne her reverse of
fortune, her literary works,t and her devotion to her
son, the present Comte de Flahaut. +
So we drove off to the Portuguese embassy; but
* This mild and matronly-looking lady, three years after, was enchanting
the dramatic world by her performance of "Valerie," the blind girl of
eighteen, in one of the most popular of M. Scribe's thousand and one
dramas, perhaps, since Moliere, the most popular of all French dramatists,
and deservedly so. His interesting play of "Valerie" was founded on a
less correct romance of that name by the inspired prophetess, Madame
de Krudener, in whose pious fancy
"Soft love, soft devotion, sat perched up together."
t "Adele de Sennanges" is the best of them, and shows itself still full
of a high-bred, tender beauty, unattainable by the present school of French
novels, where
"Who peppers the highest is surest to please."
He married the Baroness Keith, a peeress in her own right, and is
father of the present Countess of Shelburne.
K2

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his excellency was at the opera, and the countess had
retired for the night. Being very weary, we gave
the word "Home," but according to which ritual of
the antechamber our valet de place translated itwhether he gave the "allez " of nobility, the " an
logis," the "gentillitre," or the "a la maison " of the
bon bourgeois-I was too sleepy to hear ! But on reaching home I was sufficiently iveille to read a note from
the Princess Jablonowski, the only woman who was
ever the intimate friend of Napoleon without being his
mistress.
Rue de Richelieu, No. 12.
Le 19me Octobre.

VOTRE aimable souvenir, madame, ajoute encore
au regret que j'ai en de ne pas vous voir chez vous
Mercredi; c'est un m6chant rhume qui m'a prive du
plaisir de voir tant de talents reunis chez une personne aussi interessante.
En v6rite, il faut toute mon amiti6 pour Monsieur
D6non (et le souvenir que c'est a lui que je dois votre
connaissance, madame) pour ne pas me brouiller avec
cet aimable homme. Comment c'est lui qui me prive de
la satisfaction de vous recevoir chez moi ? En verite,
je ne le croyais pas capable de cette atrocitd. Si vous
voulez, madame, ne pas causer une brouillerie compliete
entre lui et moi, il faut m'en dedommager. Je n'ai pas
de jour dtermine pour recevoir, mais je suis toujours

LADY MORGAN.13

133

aujourd'hui.

cinq j ours de la semaine chez moi; j'y serais
Demain j'esp~re vous rencontrer rue d'Augou1eme, et
vous dire mes projets pour la semaine. Permettezmoi de me rejouir de l'espoir de vous rencontrer.
JABLONOWSKI.

*

Paris, le 22me Octobre, 1817E

J'AI recu seulement hierau soir, mon cher ami,

tout a la fois vos deux lettres pour M. Denon et M.
et le bel
Gregoire, qui seront remises
ouvrage de milady. Je vous en remercie tous les deux
avec toute l'expression de mon amitie pour vous.
J'attendais de le recevoir pour repondre a la savante
et ample lettre que vous m'avez 6crite it y a cpielque
temps; mais aujourd'hui je suis trop press6 d'ouvrage

aujourd'hui,

pour pouvoir le faire avec detail.

Je vous dirai seule-

ment que je reconnais tout a la fois votre excellent
jugement et votre amitie dans ce que vous me dites de
Vous etes, consequent a vos idees anglaises
mon
sur la medecine, qui vous conduisent a ne voir dans les
maladies que des choses isolees, et qui sont soustraites
aux regles ordinaires de la vie, tandis que, nous pensons
tout le contraire, et que dans mon esprit du momns tons

ilvre.

Princess Jablonowski, a Polish lady of great beauty and merit, and the
particular friend of Napoleon and the Empress Josephine. Her salon was
illustrated by the literary talent of all Europe.
t 1858.-This and the following letter belong to an earlier date, but
they are worthy of insertion any when and anywhere.-S. M.
*

134

134
DIARY OF

les objets soumis a l'observation du medecin sont lies
par un systeme dont les loix sont generales (positis
ponendis) peut-etre, et je suis dispose a croire que
nous portons de part et d'autre nos idees trop loin;
mais, surement personne n'a pare plus sagement et
d'une maniere plus exacte de l'tat de la nidecine chez
nous. Je ris, je vous l'avoue, de voir ces clangements
subits et absolus dans la pratique medicale, qui font
que pendant un an on guerit tous les malades avec du
yin de l'opium et autres stimulants; que l'anne
suivante on les guerit tout aussi Bien avec la diete et
la vent-section comme vous l'appelez, et que dans une
troisieme annee ces excellents moyens sont rejetes,
et qu'on ne gu6rit plus qu'au moyen des purgatifs
e semi're bene. Je vous parlerai une autre fOis de tout
cela et de l'ouvrage de M. Thor. Wills, dont j e suis
bien reconnaissant.
Je n'ai pu encore que, parcourir en poste votre belle
" France," mes amis, mais je veux l'examiner toute a
petits pas en-faisant des notes. M. de la Fayette me
disait l'autre jour, "GCet ouvrage est le meilleur qu'on

ait fait sur la France, et

it

faut avertir Lady Morgan

des petites erreurs qui s'y sont glissees, parce que cela
donne prise 'a ses ennemis, et diminue le credit que l'on
doit accorder a l'ouvrage." Il me dit qu'il avait fait
sur cela des notes, et je les lui demandai pour vous les
envoyer ; elles 6taient ai La Grange, et sitot que je les
aurai, je vous les ferai passer. Une tres-aimable damte

LADY

MORGAN.13

135

de Paris, Madame du Bignon, femme d'un colonel, et
qui vous admire beaucoup, ma belle et aimable anie, a
pris soin de faire un relev6 exact de toutes les suppressions,
additions, ou mutations qu'on a fait a l'ouvrage dans les
deux editions de la traduction francaise. Comme elle
n'avait point de liaisons avec vous, elle a envoy6 cela
en Belgique pour le faire imprimer sois le titre de
Esprit de Lady Morgan." Je l'ai vue depuis, et
elle m'a promis une copie de cet ouvrage pour vous le
faire passer. Je vous parle de tout cela sans etre assur6
qu'il lui convint d'etre connue pour l'auteur de cet
ouvrage, et vous savez que nous avons ici des mceurs tn
peu differentes des v6tres str ce point. C'est la seconde
edition que j'ai revue, et elle.fourmile encore de
fautes; comment n'a-t-on pas corrige cet enorme
errata-celle des bas de coton de Madame Ginguen6,
par

exemple?

Elle m'a pri6 de vous demander de la

reformer ; mais elle me l'a- demand6 avec beaucoup de
bont6 et de simplicit6, et non pas avec les criailleries et
les convulsions de colkre de l'autre. Pour en revenir ai
Madame Gingue'n6, la seule difficult6 qu'il y eut, c'est
qu'on voulait ai la cour de Turin qu'elle ftit habille a
la mode antique, c'est-a-dire, en paniers, etc., et que son
mani insistait pour qu'elle fiat mise a la mode de France ;
or toute la cour s'imaginait que cette mode de France
6tait celle des Romaines de theatre, presque nues. Ii
faliut leur expliquer ce qu'il en 6tait, et uls eurent beaucoup de peine ai se rassurer et .h croire que tous les

136
DIARY OF

136

femmes en France ne montraient pas dans les rues ce
que vous savez bien. Ce qu'il y avait de mieux, c'est
que ni elle ni son mari ne voulaient qu'elle fit presentee, et que c'tait la cour qui insistait pour cela.
Elle y alla done habillee a la. francaise, mais je vous
june tnes-bien panee.
Adieu, belle dame, adieu, mes chens amis.
SAM. MONTtEGRE.*
Je dois vous pnevenir, pour vous et vos amis, qu'on
vient de publier le Catalogue de la Bibliotheque de M.
Oinguen6, qui contient notamment toutes les meilleures
editions des meilleurs ouvrages, principalement italiens,
qu'il avait remis pour en composer l'histoire. II en a
publie six volumes de plus, tous les classiques de
toutes les langues, et des collections
de la
plus grande richesse. Faites, je vous pnie, savoir a ceux
qui pouvaient en vouloir qu'on la mettra en vente en
fevrien, 1818, et qu'en attendant on traitera avec ceux
qui voudrait acquerir, ou la totalit6, ou seulement la
partie italienne.

littenaires

Paris, 1817.
MES BONS AMISVOTRE

lettre vient encore

ajouter

aux

reproches

que je me faisais de ne pas vous avoir encore nepondu ;
mais je vais m' acquitter en vous prouvant que je n'ai
pas cess6 de m'occuper de vous, et de meriter votre
amiti6 au moms par Celle que je vous porte. ID'abord,

LADY MORGAN.13

1.37

votre letre (la premiere) m'est arrivee fort tard, soit que
cela depende de la poste, soit que cela vienne des
intermediaires que vous aviez employes. Pour 6viter
cela, je 'vous prie de m'6crire sous le couvert de M.
Joseph Ritchie, attach6 a votre ambassade a Paris je
recevrai vos lettres plus prompternent. J'ai diiy
a quatre jours chez Madame la Marquise de Villette
avec Madame Patterson,* rien que nous trois. Nous
avons port6 un toast a notre illustre arie, Lady Morgan, et a ses magnifiques ouvrages. us sont attendus
bien impatiemment ces ouvrages; et ces maudits
libraires nous font bien du chagrin par leur lenteur.
Je suis toujours pret a faire ce que vous desiriez, soil
pres des redacteurs des journaux, soil de toute autre
maniere. Je ferai soigneusement aussi toutes vos
commissions sur le quai Voltaire, la rue Pot de Fer,
M. Warden, etc.

A propos de notre 6ternel Voltaire,

vous savez peut-6tre ce qui nous est arrive-un
libraire ayant imagine de publier une nouvelle edition.

de, ses coeuvres completes ; bus les pretres ont pris
l'alarme, et ont fulmin6 (comme on dit) un

ment-non

mande-

pas de ceux sur lesquels on paye quelque

Somme, mais de ceux dans lesquels on outrage les
vivants et les morts conj ointement avec. la raison.
Voici a quoi tout le bruit qu'ils ont fait a

servi- on a mis

* Madame Jerome Bonaparte, who, after her marriage was annulled by
the emperor, took her family name. She was sister to the Marehioness of
Wellesley and the Duchess of Leeds.

138

138
DIARY OF

en chanson leur mandement (je vous le fais passer); et
ce qu'il y a de mieux, an lieu d'une edition de Voltaire,
on en fait quatre a la fois: tant it est bon d'etre recoiande au prone. Madame Patterson, que je n'avais
pas eu l'honneur de voir depuis un an, me dit l'autre
jour que vous lui trnoigniez le desir de revenir en
France; rien, mes bons amis, ne saurait ttre plus
agreable, non seulement a moi, mais a tous ceux qui
ont le bonheur de vous connaitre. Vous lui demandiez si vous seriez bien recus; permettez-moi de
vous dire ce que j'en pense, recommandes et presentes
comme vous le serez par votre ambassadeur et par vos
puissances, vous serez tres-bien recus, meme'a la cour
si quelque chose pouvait vous faire desirer d'y aller; et
meme dans le cas oil votre ouvrage contiendrait des
choses desobligeantes pour eux, ce que je ne puis encore savoir ; mais dans tous les cas, vous serez rebus ici
an bras ouverts par tous les savants, artistes, et gens
aimables de tous les genres, et, en verit6, passes les premiers moments qu'on est. tent6 de sacrifier 'al'ostentation, il n'y a plus que les societes bonnes et aimables
que l'on puisse rechercher.
Convenez donc que notre pays de France est un bien
excellent pays, puis qu'il

suffit d'en paxler pour faire

d'aussi. bonnes affaires : i est vrai que c'est le talent du
peintre qui met surtout le grand prix au tableau, et que
Raphael n'est pas momns sublime en peignant Satan

qu'en faisant le portrait du most honourable St. Michiel.

LADY MORGAN.13

139

Je vous demande, belle dame, la permission de dire
un petit mot
Sir Charles. Une des raisons, mon
ami, qui m'ont empech6 de vous 6crire plutot, c'est un
travail force que je poursuis depuis un mois sur une
affection que je crois mal connue, bien qu'on ait 6crit
des bibliotheques entieres
son sujet; ce sont les
1zemorroides. Ayant 6t6 charge de faire cet article pour
votre dictionnaire des sciences medicales, qui se continue
toujours, j'ai repris des notes que j'avais autrefois recueillies sur cet objet, et j'en ai fait un volume. Lorsqu'on imprimera le dictionnaire, je ferai tirer a part des
exemplaires de cet article, a dessein de prier mes amis de
me faire des obversations et des remarques critiques,
de perfecafin que je puisse m'en servir dans le
tionner mon travail. Vous pensez que je ne vous
oublierai pas; en attendant, neanmoins, si vous aviez

'a

'a

projet

quelque chose

'a

me faire passer sur cet objet dont je

pusse me servir, je vous en serais bien oblig6.
Je viens 'a l'aimable communaut6 ; hier au soir le bon

eveque et moi en avons beaucoup parle :

11

m'a charg6

de vous le dire de sa part, et d'y joindre toutes sortes
de choses

affectueuses.

Il a su qu'on avait imprim6 en

Belgique son projet d'association
a pas recu d'exemplaire.

Il

litPeraire, mais il n'en

est vrai que Madame de

Stael est fort malade ; l'aimable Corinne n'est plus
qu'une machine sans force, et qui ne peut penser :
h~jas ! qu'est-ce que de nous ? on ne croit pas qu'elle
puisse se retablir : je ne la connais malheureusement

140
DIARY OF

140

pas. J'en entends quelquefois dire des choses qui me
font penser comme medecin qu'on ne la traite pas
venablement; cependant a qui le dire, la mort de
cette celebre serait une calamite europeenne. Ii n'a
paru ici aucun ouvrage important sur la politique
depuis "l'Histoire des Colonies" par MI. de Pradt.
Deux ouvrages on pamphlets, assez insignifiants, ont
fourni le pretexte de condamner leurs auteurs a des
peines tres-graves, ce qui n'encourage pas les 6crivains.
L'autre jour le journal des- "Debats," de tout temps
devou6 au despotisme, s'etant avis6 de dire que la
presse tait genee a Paris, on l'a suprim6 pour trois
jours, et on lui a fait mettre un article dans lequel il
declare que la presse est tres-libre, ce qui 6tait assez
Parmi les
prouv6 cependant par la suppression.
on a beaucoup remarqu6 deux
ouvrages de
petits volumes intitules " Confessions d'une Femme ;"
cette femme est Madame de Fourqueux,, et M. Suard*
est l'6diteur de ses memoires. Madame de Genlis
vient aussi de publier quatre volumes d'extrait des
"Me/moires de Dangeau " sur la cour de Louis the

con-

litterature,

Fourteenth. C'est 1'a que l' on. voit ce grand roi se
promener lui-meme, et prendre la peine de faire cent
autres choses 6galement importantes qui prouvent
toute sa grandeur et son extreme bont6. Imaginezvous que je n'ai pas encore. vu les fragments sur
*

Secretaire perpetuel de 1'Academie Imperiale et Royale.

LADY MORGAN.14

141

lrlande.* Je suis bien malliereux d'etre si fort
occup6. J'oubliais de vous parler d'un tres-important
ouvrage dont le premier volume vient de paraitre sous
ce titre: "Conquetes, Victoires, et Desastres des
Francais," etc.: on en dit beaucoup de bien. Dans
les sciences, un medecin de Strasbourg vient de publier
un gros trait6, en deux volumes, sur le delire; c'est
M. Foder6, l'auteur d'un excellent trait6 de medecine
legale et de police sanitaire. Il comprend sous le nom
de delire toutes les alterations de l'esprit, febriles on
non. Tn autre de mes amis, M. Broussais, a public
une sorte de diatribe virulente sous le titre "D'examen
des Doctrines Medicales Modernes." Il nous dit des
injures a tous: son opinion est que toutes les flevres
dependent d'une phlegmasie. M. Louyer Villermay a
fait paraitre, en deux volumes, un tres-bon trait6 des
affections hysteriques et hypochondriaques ; cependant
on parle. beaucoup d'une organisation nouvelle de la
medecine en France, qui va bientOt paraitre. Je vous
fais passer des chansons (il faut

toujours commencer par

la), le compte-rendu des travaux de l'Academie des
Sciences pour 1816, un petit 6crit de M. le Comte
Lanjuinais, sur le conseil d'6tat. Adieu, mes bons
amis. Je ne sais si l'aimable M. Moore est a Paris,
et je vous ferais passer cette lettre comme la premiere.
SAM: MONTfGRE.
*

"Patriotic Sketches," one of my earliest works.

142

DIARY OF

Je mets dans mon paquet une lettre que m'en remise
Madame
mandait
dspendu
Madame

de Villette d'une jeune personne qui vous deSi cela avait
a traduire votre ouvrage.
de vous, j'aurais demand6 la preference pour
de Bon.

From Gregoire, Bishop of Blois, to Sir Charles and Lady Morgan.

THE celebrated author of the "Marseillaise," M.
Rouget de Lisle, has requested me to transmit to Sir
Charles and Lady Morgan his charming poem entitled "The Morning." I should reproach myself if I
delayed the pleasure they will have in reading it, and
I hasten to forward it to M. Warden, who will place
it in their hands. He will tell them at the same time,
if considerations of which they are aware prevent me
from calling to see them, my sentiments of esteem and
affection for both are invariable.
M. Rouget de Lisle will be delighted to make their
acquaintance. He resides at the Brazilian Hotel,
Notre Dame des Victoires. If Lady Morgan should
publish, as is hoped, some new work, M. Rouget de
Lisle offers beforehand to translate it into French. He
is familiar with the English language, and it will be
assuredly agreeable to my lady to have for her translator a man whose far-famed song has led our armies
to victory, and has been rendered into every European
tongue.

LADY M\ORGAN.

143

I am anxious to find opportunities of proving to the
illustrious travellers how much I have it at heart to
become serviceable to them.
GRGOIRE, EVEUE.

O

Madame Tracy La Fayette* to Lady Morgan.

I REGRET much, madam, that I was not fortunate
enough to find you at home when I called to see you.
During the month that I have been in Paris my
children have been continually ill, and that was the
first time I had been out. I received with gratitude
your kind invitation, and I should have profited by it,
if I went at all into the world ; but I never go out at
night, and I must request your permission to visit you

in the morning, in the confidence with which you
inspired me at La Grange, and to renew the assurances
of all the sentiments I then expressed towards you.
TRACY LA FAYETTE.

From the Baron de Stael to Lady Morgan.

I REJOICE extremely, madam, you have condescended to furnish me with an opportunity of being in
some degree useful to you. Here is " Sismondi," and
* Count de Tracy's daughter, married to the only son of General La
Fayette, was one of the most charming women in France,
" et par droit de conquete, et par droit de pjaissance."

144

DIARY OF

I should reserve the honour of presenting it to you myself, if some important affairs did not detain me at
home. Receive with indulgence the homage of my
respectful attachment.
DE STAEL.

What a nice note from M. de Stael, and what a
valuable present! It does not signify, I am spoiled
for life, or at least for Dublin. Whilst in foreign
lands, kind friends and approving readers overwhelm
us with testimonies of good-will. It has been debated
in the Royal Society House in Dublin, whether our
works ought not to be turned out, as we should be
ourselves if we showed our faces. This little galanterie
of my countrymen has been told me by Lord Aylmer,
Adjutant-General of the Forces in Ireland, and our
most particular friend, to whom the proposition was
made, he being one of the members. He flung it from
him with indignation, as we should say in Ireland.

Two notes from Albertine, Duchesse de Broglie, daughter of Madame de
Stael, to Lady Morgan.
Thursday evening.

WILL you be so good, my lady, as to send me the
two remaining volumes of your work, which interests
us deeply ? If I do not return the two first, it is
because Mademoiselle Rondall is reading them. I

LADY MORGAN.

145

regretted much that I was unable to go to you yesterday evening; but the people who dined with us
remained too late. Accept the assurance of my distinguished regard.
STAEL DE BROGLIE.

I AM very grateful, my lady, for the interest you
so kindly take in my health. I have been in a suffering state for some time, which has prevented me from
calling upon you oftener. I cannot have the happiness of going to you this evening, for I am obliged
to remain with a friend who is going to the country;
but is it possible that I could see you to-morrow
before four o'clock ? I am most anxious still to profit
by your short stay here, and to recover what my indisposition has occasioned me to lose. Accept, madam,
the assurance of my entire regard.
STAEL DE BROGLIE.

Here is a note which has given us great pleasure.
Such eminent names belong to the landmarks of time,
no matter how simple the illustrations to which they
are prefixed.
Paris, Oct. 29th, 1818.

MONSIEUR and Madame Cuvier are fully sensible
of the honour which Sir Charles and Lady Morgan
desire to confer on them, and will be delighted to
L

146

DIARY OF

receive them. They are most anxious, if they could,
to contribute to the enjoyments of their visit to
Paris.
From M. Boucher to Lady Morgan.
Rue Vaubadeau, Paris, Thursday, Oct. 1, 1818.
MADAM,

THE desire of knowing so distinguished a person
has induced me to entreat of Messrs. La Fayette and
Benjamin Constant to present me to you, who are the
angel of impartiality, in a country where they pride
themselves on rendering the smallest possible justice
to Frenchmen, who, on their side, have adopted the
opposite mania of Anglicism, down to the most trifling
fashions, and singing the praises at random of their
natural enemy.
I thought, madam, you were an Englishwoman. I
felt surprised, in reading your works, to see that you
had bestowed a just eulogium on my country. But I
have since learned that you are a native of Ireland,
and my surprise has ceased.
General La Fayette, who had led me to expect the
favour of being presented to you, being absent, Mons.
Benjamin Constant has promised to mention my name,
with the view of satisfying my impatient desire to see,
to hear, and to admire a lady so worthy of her exalted
celebrity.
May I flatter myself, madam, that you will honour
my talents by accepting the invitation to a private

LADY MORGAN.

147

assembly of persons worthy of meeting you? Mons.
and Madame Constant will acquaint you with the particulars of this matinee musicale, which will take place
next Sunday, the 8th inst., between the hours of
twelve and five. My wife, to whose request I have
the happiness to add my own, will endeavour to entertain you by playing on the harp and piano, which
instruments she professes. Several other artists, whose
ability equals their reputation, will also unite their
efforts to ours.
You will find in my house none but literary men,
ladies, artists, and distinguished persons, all your
ardent admirers. Do not refuse, madam, to embellish
by your presence a frank and liberal meeting, in which
friendship and the arts preside, with equal anxiety to
offer you their homage.
I have the honour to be, with respectful admiration, madam,
Your humble and obedient servant,
ALEXANDRE

B.OUCHER,*

Ex-Director of Music and Private Tutor to
King Charles IV., and Member of
several Academies and Learned Societies, &c. &c.

Humboldt has been again to-day, and again we were
out. How very mortifying ! His visits are none the
less "angel visits " because they are not "few or far
* Alexander Boucher,

an inspired

musician, but in all all else as "mad

as a hatter !"

L2

148

DIARY OF

between ;" and certainly, so far as my acquaintance
goes with the angelic choir, " celui-la vaut bien les
autres." He left a precious little billet in the porter's
lodge, where he wrote it: " Alexandre Humboldt toujours assez malheureux de ne pas trouver Lady Morgan."
Hotel du Tibre, Rue de Helder,
Boulevards Italiens,
Paris, October 31, 1818.
MY

DEAR LOVE,

I WAS sitting alone, waiting for Morgan to come
into dinner (for he had gone to see his sister Susan,
who is at school in the Champs Elysees), when enter a
Mr. Luby, a friend of Mr. Curran's, who offers very
civilly to take a letter or little parcel for me to
London, and to try to forward it to Ireland. So, the
moment Morgan came home, and we had swallowed
our "bit and our sup," out we sallied to the Palais
Royale to get you une echarpe tricote'e. It was now
six o'clock, and we were to send to Mr. Luby by
eight, so we had not much time to look about usand, worse, had to choose by lamplight. I hope,
however, you will like it. As well as I can guess,
the colours are pretty; but it strikes me (owing, I
believe, to the fineness of the web) to be very small;
but la belle dame I bought it from assured me,
"parole d'honneur," that it was "la largeur au juste
pour coiffer les cheveux." The fashion is to put a silk

LADY MORGAN.

149

handkerchief of the prevailing colour under it, and then
roll it round. I have begged of Mr. Luby to send
you this letter by post from London; and if you do
not get the scarf directly, write to him for it. I send
the cherub also some toys, which in my hurry is all I
can mark out for the present. Write to me the
moment you receive this. Direct your letters, in
future, under cover to Mr. Crewe, which will save you
postage, and direct as above. I hope you got my letter
about your play, and that you have written to Harris
accordingly. You will think there is no end to our
changing lodgings; and, in fact, the difficulty of
getting apartments at all elegant and comfortable for
people, not of the first rank or fortune, is immense,
particularly in winter. We have at last succeeded,
and are lodged in the most delightful part of Paris,
which you will see by consulting Lady Morgan's work
on France, under the head of "Boulevards Italiens,"
for we are only two houses down the street from
them. We have got three very pretty rooms de reception and a boudoir, besides an anteroom. Morgan's
work comes out in London to-morrow; the translation
is already undertaken by a member of the Institute-a scientific man of great celebrity. Truttel and
Wurtz, German booksellers here, have purchased
the right of translating "Florence Macarthy" from
Colburn at a large sum; and the hurry is so great
to have it come out with the original, that they have

150

DIARY OF

set two persons to work at it, who will make pretty
nonsense of it, no doubt; it is, in fact, untranslatable, but will; nevertheless, make you die laughing.*
[The elections here are interesting us beyond everything. Last night we had all the popular candidates with us at our fireside, receiving messages
Constant and La
from their electors, &c., &c.
Fayette stayed with us till one in the morning.
From one-half to two-thirds of the new members are
Liberals. Constant has lost his election by eighty
voices only out of ten thousand, with all the force
and intrigue of the ministry against him. La
Fayette, after having been set up for the department
of Seine et Marne, and government spending thousands, and using every species of calumny and bribery
to worst him, was, on his failure there, set up by the
Parisians without his knowledge, and afterwards by the
department of La Sarthe. When government found
he was succeeding in the latter place, they suspended
the election, in the face of the laws. Notwithstanding
all this, he has this moment sent me word he has
been elected-the greatest triumph of public opinion
The king had been heard to
known for years.
declare he would rather hear of two provinces in
insurrection than La Fayette elected; and it is said
* If you think the politics of this scribble would amuse Mr. Bushe or
Lord Charlemont, let Clarke copy out the paragraphs between the [ ], and
give them to Mrs. Bushe.

LADY MORGAN.

151

for Madame d'Angouleme, that she would not remain
in France if he succeeded. The triumph is universal,
and they say my book, "France," was the best canvasser La Fayette had.
The Emperor of Russia
arrived here at three in the day, went to the Tuileries
to dine at four, had a conference tete-a-tete with the
king for an hour, and left Paris at eight to sleep at
Senlis. This was a short visit, you will say. The King
of Prussia is still here, running about the shops, and
spending his evenings at the theatre, and making
about as much sensation as baby would if he came
here. The Duchesse de Broglie spent an hour with
me the other day. She is reserved and simple, and
not the least what you would suppose Madame de
Stael's daughter to be. She and the duke go
down to La Grange with the general, to pass next
week after the hurry of the elections, and we are
asked to dine with them on their return.] I long to
hear from you and what you are about. I send you a
shawl, and that's all. My love all round. What is
doing about the unfortunate house? Morgy wishes
Clarke would say to Staunton that he has had nothing
particular to communicate worth postage, and give him
the cream of this letter, and tell him I have ordered
Colburn to send him a copy of the "Philosophy."
Love and kiss to darling baby ; love to Molly.

152

DIARY OF

Diary,--Denon's party was charming last night!
The best society in Paris assembled in what is out and
out the most curious of all the curious hotels in Paris
-a precious cabinet of all that is most precious of
works of art, from the skeleton hand of Cleopatra to the
model in marble of that of the Princess Borghese. But
as I knew Dinon's hotel par cceur, and have besides
published the catalogue raisonne in my "France," I
turned to the living monument of court favour, who
was amongst the company, the Due de Cazes. He
is very handsome, engaging, and courteous, of the
type of the Carrs and Villierses, those beau-ideals of
royal favourites. He well became the external marks
which he wore of royal distinction, and justified the
tradition of a noble descent. When I was introduced
to him, I thanked him for his kind message through
D4non (which had been to the effect that we need fear
no molestation during our stay in Paris, Anglice, that
we should not be turned out); his answer was too
courtly for even my frank vanity to repeat. There
was a freedom of conversation about men and things
this evening that struck me. It is the freest moment,
so far as the expression of liberal opinions in private
society go, as it is also the most tranquil period France
has known for the last fifty years. The change
which has taken place since we sent forth our
"France" in 1816 is extraordinary, but not unaccountable. The king's character and constitution, his

LADY MORGAN.

153

tastes and his habits, all tend to repose. He is false,
not ferocious; and, having permitted Ultra vengeance
to glut itself during the first period of his restoration,
he now resumes habitudes nourished in his long exile.
A fine gentleman, an elegant scholar; graceful (if not
grateful), as the Bourbons always are; gracious, as the
French princes always have been, even when their
courtesies meant nothing-he owes much to the privacy and privation of Hartwell, and a little to the
great reformer of all selfishness, age (for there is
nothing like the despotic selfishness of youth). Sensual
and sentimental, he applied the bonhommie of the old
court to the courtiers of the present. He has his
petit mot galant for the ladies and his bon mot spirituel for the old voltigeurs by whom he is surrounded.
He aftches his innocent passion for the sister of the
Due de Cazes, and his friendship for her brother (his
prime minister), by throwing his arm around his neck
en bon papa. He leaves the ministry to the full enjoyment of their own doctrines and pedantry. His particular friend, the Duc de Richelieu, has been dismissed.
His successor has, however, assured him a liberal
pension; a curious fact, considering the duke is the
collateral descendant to the most powerful minister
France ever produced. Still, however veiled, it remains
but a mild despotism, gently agitated by ministerial
dissensions-the commotion of mediocrity excited by
the love of place, and the fear of losing it. There is

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no liberty of the press, and without that the
people can have no rights, and liberty no bulwarks.
Contemptible as the present state of things is, the
power of the infiniment petit, it is better than military
despotism, of all despotisms the most brutalising. It
is threatening the body to coerce the spirit; and physical force in its most odious form, without any sublimity to disguise it to the imagination.
Diary.--Whilst we were eating our morsel at
home, enter D6non with a delicious bouquet. He
had come to carry us off to the Ambigu, because,
he said, they were to give an Irish play, called "Le
Songe." The young hero was a "Monsieur Patrique,"
who always addressed his patron, Lord Lindore, as
"votre grace." Miss Pauline O'Connell was an incarnation of Ossian's Malvina, and declaimed most heroically on her country's wrongs. This false chronology
is not altogether out of place in the Irish dramas of
Irish writers of a certain class. I recollect an Irish
schoolmaster who wrote a tragedy, called "Manlius"
(which he wanted to produce on the Dublin stage),
and who, after bringing his hero to the very edge of
the Tarpeian rock, makes him exclaim, "Oh, Jasus!
where am I going to ?"
Diary.-I had a reception last night in my new
apartment, brilliantly lighted, by-the-by, and well
attended. A good many English: the Duchess of
Devonshire, Leitrims, and Sollys. Then there was

LADY MORGAN.

155

Benjamin Constant and Madame Constant (nde Comtesse de Hardenberg), and the delectable Denon, and
Count de Segur. The Comtesse de Hardenberg is
quite as delightful a person as her husband. The
conversation turned upon Madame de Stael, which I
thought might a little discompose Madame Constant,
as "Benjamin the Ruler " was the most afihe of
Corinna's patiti. However, I was soon relieved, as
Constant gave us the most admirable and graphic
description of Madame de Stael's mode of exhibiting,
" car elle se posa toujours."
"Do you remember," said he, turning to Dinon,
"that night at Madame de Tracy's,* where Albertina f
had her branch of laurel (de rigueur), which she always
presented to her mother when she saw inspiration
coming strong upon her ?" (He took down an allumette
as he spoke, and twisted it round his finger and thumb
with the " preliminary look" with which she was
wont to collect her audience.
The imitation was so
good and so comic that everybody burst out laughing,
and Madame Constant loudest of all.) "Taking for
her text," continued Constant, " some word dropped
on politics or literature, she burst forth in one of
those :rhapsodies of eloquence-for she never conversed; she lost sight of every one, except the one, over
* La Comtesse Destrutt de Tracy, the admirable wife of the celebrated
metaphysician.
t Albertina de Stael, Duchesse de Broglie.

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whom, for the moment, she wished to throw her spell.
All this looked like art; but in her it was second
nature."

"Cependant," said D6non, "c'6tait une bonne pate
de femme, and Lady Morgan has done her ample
justice in her work upon France.*
Lavater says, that to suppress a bon mot would
merit canonization; a Frenchman never does, even at
the expense of his friend, or-of his mistress. Constant related that Corinna had smiled, but in vain, on
the brilliant Count de Rivarol, the spoiled pet of two
courts. Meeting her one night at a bal masque, he
turned away from her. "De quelle deesse voulez-vous
6chapper done ?" said the friend with whom he was
walking; "and how do you know the masque ?"
" Par le pied de Stael," he answered.
Madame de Stael's foot was not that of Atalanta.
I saw Rivarol in his last days in London. He was
even then pre-eminently distinguished for his wit and
brilliant conversation.j
November, 1818: Rue de Helder. We are much
* See "France in 1816," vol. i. p. 385.
t It was at Harrington House, where a greater wit than himself had
already arrived-Madame la Duchesse de Coigny, who sat huddled up
in a black cloak and bonnet, the impersonation of the whole Faubourg
St. Germaine. Whilst the two were engaged in the "keen encounter
of their wits," Lady Asgill, the charming coquette fieffde of the day,
glided up to the old duchess, and said, angrily, "Est-il vrai, Madame la
Duchesse, que vous dites partout que je suis plus bete que belle ?"
"Pardon, miladi," said the duchess, "je l'ai souvent oui dire, mais je ne
l'ai jamais repit6."

LADY MORGAN.

157

pleased with our new locale; we were scarcely campe
when Berthon, who was the favourite pupil of David,
arrived with a note from Denon to say I must sit for
my picture for Dnon for the next Exposition, 1820.
It is to be as large as life-no very immoderate
dimensions, that ! The canvas and frame arrived here
this morning, for I refused to go and sit in Berthon's
atelier. It will fill up the entire back of my pretty
boudoir. Kildare Street, be proud! It will be like
the family picture in the "Vicar of Wakefield "too large for the house!
A dote from the dear General: he is returned for
La Sarthe; but though so near us, cannot come to see
us for some days.
A Lady Morgan.

MES BONs AMIs,
ME voila depute pour La Sarthe moins d'opposition que je n'attendais; le gouvernement a meme mis
de la coqueterie a rendre cette nomination plus flattense. Impossible de vous voir, mais h tantSt, quand
je vous en dirai des nouvelles.
LA FAYETTE.

De Stael coinpte vous aller voir avec Manuel
demain; il est tres-occup6 de sa Socid~t6 de la Presse
Je lui ai donn6 votre adresse.
Looked up all my great and small names in my old
French visiting-book, and went out with my invitations for a re'union every Wednesday, in due form,

158

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which I left at the H6tels La Trimouille, Biron, Beauveau, Colbert, Chabanis, d'Ossonville, Ruolze,* &c., &c.
The day divinely bright and frightfully cold; my nose
inclined to be red; but my new vichura, bleu fonce,
lined with ermine, consoled me for everything. It is
beautiful-a present imrnprovise from my dear Morgan,
:whom I scolded for his extravagance.
We spent the evening tete-a-tte, with our feet in
the ashes, which may have warmed the feet of
Madame du Deffand and Mademoiselle de l'Espinasse.
I am sure the foyer has liever been swept out for
the last century. Morgan read aloud a delightful
pamphlet of Paul Courier's, pleasant and brilliant as a
pleading of Beaumarchais; but what a difference
between the vigneron of Tourain and the harpiste of
the two old maiden daughters of Louis XV.! Both,
however, out of the common role of men in their
respective ways.
Diary.-To-day very busy sending out cards for my
Wednesday, when our valet, throwing open the grands
battants, announced M. Raoul Rochette, one of my
affids of 18 16. Raoul !-spirit of my sainted sire !
what a chivalrous name! He is waging a war, however, very much opposed to chivalry. He is a very
Zoilus, and a great contributor to the "Minerva ;" but
he is more than that in my opinion; for he is the
* The translator of my "Novice of St. Dominic," to whom I owe the
honour of my first introduction into France.

LADY MORGAN.

159

friend of the honestest man and purest patriot in
France, the identical Paul Louis Courier we were
reading last night, and he actually brought a request
from the Vigneron to be presented to us! What a
charming apropos! I immediately filled a card for my
Wednesday evenings. M. Raoul said, "I will present
it to him, but I am sure he will not come. He hates
large assemblies, and would much prefer to be received
by you and Sir Charles en famille. He says he is
afraid of being mistaken for a gentleman. Although
he inherits a nom de terre, as the proprietor of the
ancient estate De Mere, in Touraine, he never receives
his title of count. He wishes to be the founder of his
own illustration; and, instead of being M. Courier de
M6re, he simply writes himself 'le Vigneron.' "
"Although very witty," said M. Rochette, "he is a
profound mathematician, and one of our most learned
and elegant Hellenists. He was highly educated by
his very intellectual father. He entered the army in
his youth, fought bravely through the republican campaigns in Geirmany and Italy, and rose rapidly from a
subaltern to be a chef d'escadron. But he had a higher
and a better calling. The independence of his nature
and his intellectual vocation soon drew him from a
profession whose dogma was blind obedience, and gave
to France one of her best patriots and profoundest
thinkers. He had taken up arms against a foreign
invasion; but he laid them down after the battle of

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Wagram, and retired during the despotism of the
Empire to his farms in Touraine. It was said that
one of his commanding officers, to whom his caustic
wit had rendered him offensive, General Berthier,
would not accept his resignation. It appeared that on
Berthier's fourgons was inscribed the name of ' Csar
Berthier,' and the sarcastic young soldier, as he passed
the military van, dashed his sword through the classic
cognomen of Casar, exclaiming, 'Berthier oui, mais
C6sar non !' The point of the epigram lay in the
reputation of Berthier for being more discreet than
valiant: to be sure, he ' chose the better part.' During
the last ten years he has followed up his learned
researches in Italy,' where he frequently violated the
laws of military discipline, to rummage some old,
obscure, and curious library, or to rescue some precious
MS. from dust and worms, which chance had discovered to him. To these fouilles," said M. Rochette,
"we owe his publication of the ' Pastorales de Longus.'
It was in collating the entire MS. that he let some ink
fall upon the precious fragment. The librarian profited by this spot of ink to accuse him of having
destroyed the original, that he might appropriate to
himself the publication. Courier disdained to exculpate himself, the charge appeared so absurd; but
being cited by the Prefect of Rome, he answered the
charge in his celebrated letter to M. Remusat, his publisher, a chef-d'ceuvre of good sense, wit, and plea-

LADY MORGAN.

161

santry. After the Restoration he retired to his vineyards in Touraine, 1815. The attempts at a counter
revolution by the Bourbons roused him from his retirement, and his Petition from the inhabitants of the
little village of Luines, on the banks of the Loire, so
full of caustic wit and bitter pleasantry, struck the
minister, the Duc de Cazes, who was anxious to found
his power on the ruins of the two extreme parties, so
forcibly, that he made use of this petition against the
ultra royalists. Persecution ceased, and the Vigneron
retired again to his vendages. The government asking
what they could do for him, he replied, ' Rien; je ne
pretends a rien, et je ne me crois meme propre a rien !'
His Letter to 'Messieurs de l'Academie d'Instruction
et de Belles Lettres,' and his 'Provinciales Politiques,'
in the form of letters, recall the immortal letters of
Pascal--' la meme force de logique, la meme hauteur
de pensee, la meme finesse d'esprit avec plus de bonhommie encore.' It is unnecessary to say that he has
the priesthood against him, and that little persecutions
are daily getting up, which rather agagaient than depress him; and we owe to them his letter ' Aux imes
devotes de la Paroisse de V retz, p6tition des Villageois
qu'on empeche de danser,' and other unpardonable
pleasantries, frequently more effective than graver
essays." To all these little biographical details my
refrain was, "But when will you bring him to see
me ?" "Give me your invitation," he said, "et va
M

162

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pour votre Mercredi prochain !" The country must
be saved when there are still such men in France.
What does the present lull portend? En attendant,
jouissons.
The Princesse de Beauveau to Lady Morgan.

You have good reason, dear Lady Morgan, to
think me weak for refusing an invitation that comes
from you; but, alas ! my evening is not my own.
I have been for a long time engaged at home by
persons whom I cannot set aside without offence;
nevertheless, if I can snatch a few moments from
them without running that risk, I shall hasten to devote them to you with the eagerness which you may
readily give me credit for, when an opportunity offers
of assuring you personally of my tender attachment.
MORTEMART DE BEAUVEAU.

"L'esprit de Mortemart" has descended intact to
this lady by Nature's own "right divine."

M. Constant to Lady Morgan.
November 2, 1818.

M. CONSTANT presents his best compliments to
Lady Morgan, and presumes to apply to her ladyship
for something, in which he believes her ladyship's
kind advice and assistance would be very useful to
him. The attacks he has been exposed to from the

LADY MORGAN.

163

Ministerial party during the elections make it necessary for him to publish some Me'moires sur les Cent
fours, which he wrote in England three years ago,
when residing there to avoid the prosecutions of 1815.
As during the period he describes he wls constantly
with Bonaparte, and as he means to give a fair and
complete account of his motives in uniting then with a
man he till then had avoided and disapproved, he thinks
the work will be curious; and he is offered a pretty
large sum by his bookseller here. But he believes an
agreement with an English publisher would be more
advantageous, especially if he sells only the English
edition, and reserves himself the power of making an
arrangement for France, which would be no prejudice
to the English publisher, since, books being dearer in
England, the English edition will always be superseded by the French. He therefore takes the liberty of
requesting her ladyship's advice, and, if possible, introduction to some English bookseller. M. Constant
had treated for that work with Colburn, of Conduit
Street ; but, upon his returning to France, he gave up
every idea of publication, and, the time fixed for publishing being past, Colburn himself agreed to break up
the agreement. The work is nearly finished, and must
be printed within six weeks.
M. Constant begs Lady Morgan's pardon for his
importunity, and relies on her kind and friendly disposition towards him.
M2

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M. de Constant to Lady Morgan.
Nov. 2.

LADY MORGAN'S kind letter encourages me to

propose a means of negotiating with Colburn, which
would, I think, render the negotiations more easy and
more profitable.. It would be Lady Morgan's writing
a few lines, informing Colburn that I intend publishing the work in question, and directing him to
make propositions to me concerning it. The battle of
the elections, though lost, will give some additional
interest to the publication, and Lady Morgan's interference would certainly be of weight. If my proposal
has any inconvenience which I cannot foresee, I beg
Lady Morgan to refuse. My work will be ready in a
fortnight or three weeks, and the printing will begin
at latest within a month. As soon as I have a
moment's time, I intend doing myself the pleasure of
waiting on Lady Morgan, and request her ladyship
till then to believe me her sincere admirer, and most
humble obedient servant,
B. CONSTANT.

Diary.-Dinedin the apartments of Madame Geoffrin,
322, Rue St. Honor6, Her cabinet in high preservation, and a portrait of Marmontel is inserted in a rococo
frame as a dessus porte. Paris abounds in this sort of
interesting topography. Dear old Paris! may you live
for ever as you are! Whoever should turn this house

LADY MORGAN.

165

of brick into a house of marble would destroy one of
the volumes, and graphic volumes, which has preserved
the history, the manners, and individuality of the most
interesting epoch of French society-the grand interval between receding middle ages and the advance of a
phase of flimsy civilisation. How charming, as one
runs along the streets (for I always run), to read,
"Maison de Voltaire," " Ici demeurait Moliere," "Hotel
de Carnavalet," the whole of the Place Royale conspicuous for the house of Ninon de l'Enclos, and other
historically-named hotels which abound in the Marais,
the Hotel de Guise being the most splendid representative of the age in which it was raised. Oh! should
the genius of the Wyatvilles ever run riot here, and
replace these memorable sites-these facades of dingy
but fine architectural lines, with spick-and-span-new
plaster of Paris and patent cement,
"Then dear Paris to you
I will soon bid a long and a careless adieu !"

Architecture is the printing-press of all ages, and
gives a history of the state of the society in which it
was erected; from the cromlech of the Druids to those
toyshops of royal bad taste-Carlton House and the
The Tower and Westminster
Brighton Pavilion.
Abbey are glorious pages in the history of time, and
tell the story of an iron despotism and the cowardice
of unlimited power.*
* 1858.-Holy St. Francis ! how you and your brother saints incrusted

DIARY OF

166

From Princesse Jablonowski to Lady Morgan.

A THOUSAND thanks, Madame, for the agreeable
hours you have enabled me to pass by reading your
charming romance. I thank you for having named
in it my revered and worthy countryman, our friend.
There is too much resemblance between our two
nations not to deserve your interest. To-morrow,
Sunday, I pass the evening at home. It would be
extremely kind if you would come to embellish it.
You will probably meet Madame de Sismondi. I
hope Sir Charles will accompany you. It is not a set
party, but one without full dress or ceremony. I
trust you will not refuse.
JABLONOWSKI.

From General La Fayette to Lady Morgan.
La Grange, November 23rd, 1818.

doubt, my dear lady, if I had arrived in
Paris on Friday, I should have anticipated my
departure by two days. The pleasure of again seeing
you both, of obeying your commands, and the attractions of the agreeable society assembled at your house
on Wednesday, are the more than sufficient causes to
make me regret the adjournment of the Chambers. I
WITHoUT

on the walls of Westminster Abbey, spiritual and sovereign lords over the
liberties of that gull, man, if you could be galvanised into temporary life,
how you would grin at that senate-house of a free people-a bad imitation
of a bad reality-and how indignantly you would repudiate all connection
"with the house over the way !"

LADY MORGAN.

167

have persuaded myself, in my agricultural vanity, that
I should make a great sacrifice in quitting my farm
for several months. There are many previous arrangements which I like to think indispensable to the
public interest of my speculations. A dozen children,
who count for something in the desire of prolonging
my residence here. The king having assured us that
he should not require our attendance before the tenth
of December, I thought I might remain here with my
family until the fourth or fifth of that month; and
our plans, which it would be difficult to alter, have all
been settled with this view. Receive, therefore, with
indulgence, my dear lady, the apology of my excuses,
and of my regret for the motion of adjournment which
will follow the sitting of Wednesday. I should be
only too happy to be introduced to your distinguished
friends, and to meet again, in your house, all those
you wish to present to me.
I have read "Florence Macarthy" with the warmest
The story, and its accessories, however
interest.
attractive I find them, comprise its smallest merit in
my eyes. The courageous denunciation of the oppressors and opposers of your country, without question
take the lead. But, between this double enjoyment,
I find much additional pleasure in entering into details
of localities, manners, and language; which, perhaps,
cannot be thoroughly understood and felt by a
foreigner unless he has been thrown into the early

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situations and habits of my life. It seems to me that
the translator of "Florence Macarthy" will require
much literary dexterity, if I may so express myself,
and that he should be as much as possible acquainted
with the politics, manners, and popular phraseology of
the united islands. Much must still be lost; but
enough will remain for a reading as agreeable as
instructive, and sympathetic with all generous
instincts.
The inhabitants of La Grange write to offer to you
and Sir Charles the attachment of three generations.
LA FAYETTE.

P.S. I have heard from Lord Holland, who tells me
that, in the midst of his profound affliction, he has
received Sir Charles's letter, informing him of my
election to the Chamber of Deputies. I am instructed
to return his warmest thanks.

Thursday.-I was sitting this morning for my
picture to Berthon, when the frotteur of the hotel,
in the absence of my servant, threw open the door,
and announced in

one word, " Lordvillanspence !"

and enter the charming William Spencer, the poetlaureate of the aristocracy of London. What an
He always brings a bon-ton
agreeable surprise!
London atmosphere about him. Berthon was charmed
with the cordiality of our meeting, which, he thought,

LADY MORGAN.

169

brightened up my countenance-which had hitherto
expressed nothing but bore. He made Spencer sit
down--per
efetto-whence I could see him, and
kept poking my head with his mahl stick till, I am
sure, my pose gave me the air of an illustration of the
petit courier des dames. I took the opportunity of
asking Spencer for a copy of his beautiful verses of
to Lady Anne Hamilton" for staying too
late at her house, spell-bound by the eyes of the lovely
Susan Beckford (afterwards the Duchess of Hamilton).
He pretended to have forgotten them. I said that
was an affectation unworthy of him; and I repeated
the first verse myself:-

,far

1'Apology

" Too late I stayed-forgive the crime,
For who could count the hours ?
For lightly falls the foot of time
That only treads on flowers," &c.

Berthon, affecting to be charmed with the metre,
said, "Mais traduisez moi cela, Miladi." •I began,
"J'ai rest6 trop tard l'autre soir," but Spencer and I
both burst out laughing, so that we could not proceed. Berthon looked confused. "Oh!" said Spencer,
in beautiful French, "it is only nonsense worthy of
Voiture ;or the Hotel Rambouillet."
"Vraiment !"
said Berthon, who had, most likely, not heard of
either one or the other, "Attention, Miladi !"
So he went on with his painting, and we fell into
discourse, in English, on the cancan of May Fair, and

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into fashionable frivolities, and Miss Berry's last mot
-"No
friendship can cross the north of Oxford
Street "--when a letter was delivered to me, on
the outside of which was written, "Alexandre Von
Humboldt." The dirty little spot called the world
disappeared into its own mists, and the universe, of
which Humboldt is at this moment the high-priest,
seemed to replace the puppet-show with 'which we
had been playing.
Spencer begged the cover, and read out the letter,
that my pose might not be disturbed; and Berthon
said, looking at the picture through his hand, "C'est
un grand homme, M. Humboldt! J'ai ambition de
faire son portrait, et de le mettre a l'exposition du
Louvre avec le portrait de Miladi."
I promised to invite Spencer to the first Wednesday
evening I expected Humboldt. This is Humboldt's
letter :From M. Humboldt to Lady Morgan.
Thursday.

THE pleasing remembrance of Sir Charles and Lady
Morgan adds to the deep regret I felt at not having
enjoyed their interesting conversation at Madame
d'H's. My health is almost entirely re-established,
and I shall hasten to present myself at Lady Morgan's
residence to offer what is her due on so many claims,
the homage of my sentiments of admiration and
devoted respect. Alas! what pitiless judges I have in

LADY MORGAN.

171

your beautiful Albion! You will permit me, I hope,
to complain a little when you see how I am treated in
the last number of the "Quarterly Review." But I
have well deserved it.
HUMBOLDT.

Scarcely had Mr. Spencer-that type of an English
man of fashion-simple, pose', and well dressed (though
not too well dressed), bowed himself out, and Berthon
and myself settled again in earnest to our business,
and I had " called up a look," like Lady Pentweasel,
with which he was satisfied at last, when the Vicomte
D'Arlincourt was announced, and an original, the reverse of my English type-se dandinant-as he advanced, smilingly said, " Je me presente, miladi, sans
introduction, vous connaissez mes ouvrages sans
doute; on m'appelle ici 'le Virgile Frangais:' exaggeration! J'admire vos sentiments quoique je ne
partage pas vos opinions, et je viens vous offrir mes
hommages en fraternit6 d'auteur !"
Taken thus by storm, and quite upset, by the
humorous though provoked look of Berthon, my
Pentweasel look" gave way to one I tried to conceal behind my handkerchief. It was quite unnecessary. The Vicomte saw nothing but the reflection
from an opposite mirror before which he had seated
himself, and he heard nothing but his own voice as
he poured forth, en grandes phrases de Chateaubriand,

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an incoherent rhapsody on the state of French literature--past, present, and to come-from Jodelle and
lotrou down to Picard and Scribe; all of whom he
anathematised, declaring that Chateaubriand was the
renaissance of genuine French literature, with a slight
hint that he himself was not a mean satellite of the
illustrious orb round which he moved!
All this time Berthon was sketching him in on the
side of the canvas. His shirt collar was a la Byron,
thrown back to show his throat, his hair ruffled, and
he looked semi-tragic, semi-comic, like a mask with
two sides, which, together with his scarlet and gold
waistcoat, made a style of man such as the chef of the
school of David had certainly never painted before.
The entrance of .Denon and my husband caused a
break-up of the se'ance, and the French Virgil, evidently discomfited by the invasion, took his leave with
a "Je me sauve, miladi, c'est pour une autre fois."
We all laughed, and Denon complimented me on my
distinguished visitor, which Morgan took au se'rieux,
as nobody had introduced him. " It is very odd,"
said Denon, "how much intense vanity is the prevailing temperament dans nous autres Frangais. Pauvre
gargon! He will most probably die by his own hands.
Do you know, that nearly all our suicides, so much
more numerous in Paris than in London, are caused
by disappointed vanity? Our hereditary nobility
have safety-valves in their rank, and in the offices of

LADY MORGAN.

173

which they are the inheritors, in church and state,
which protects them from lesser temptations to selfdestruction. Such events as the suicides of such men
as your Lord Castlereagh, and Sir Samuel Romilly,
are unknown in France."
Morgan said, "It is a curious fact that some men
are born with a tendency to self-destruction, which
exhibits itself at intervals from an early period of life,
even before it can be the result of feeling or reflection.
It is generally accompanied by mental aberration,
consequent on pressure on some portion of the
brain, and is more purely physical than the amour
propre of man is willing to allow. What poetical
suicides and sublime despair might have been prevented by a timely dose of blue pill, or the offer of a
Loge aux Italiens!"
"An excellent peroration, and tres a propos," said
Denon, laughing, "for here I have brought Miladi
precisely a 'Loge aux Italiens' to see Carraffa's last
opera, recommended in a note from Milan, by De
Steindhal. I will call for you both at seven o'clock."
I was charmed, and set off to dress for dinner,
whilst Denon sat down to criticise the picture, which
is a commission from him, he being much interested
in the artist, and somewhat, too, in the subject.

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From Gregoire, Bishop of Blois, to Lady Morgan.

I SHALL have various observations to suggest to
you on your work, if you are disposed to attach any
importance to their reception.
Your answer will
inform me. I have read, with the greatest pleasure,
the three short appendices attached to the second
volume. My opinion with regard to them at the
same time echoes the opinion of the public. Accept,
Madame, and divide with your learned and excellent
husband, the affectionate regards of the old bishop of
Blois, who waits your reply with impatience.
GREGOIRE. +

Diary.--A pleasant, chatty morning. Somebody
quoted a good epigram, which was found written on
the statue of Henri IV. the other day, now engraving by public subscription"A 1'appel je viens de rdpondre :
J'ai souscrit pour Henri le Grand ;
Pour ses neveux j'en ferai tout autant
Si l'on vent les rdfondre."

Napoleon had the bad taste to put on the Tuileries
the inscription "La Republique Frangaise." Madame
de Stael observed, that in this he acted like a bad
painted, who writes under his picture "Ceci est un lion."
What splendid fragments France still exhibits of
intellect and genius! It is grievous to say, however,
that these great men are in the decline of lifeVolney, La Fayette, Segur, Destrutt de Tracy, Cuvier,

LADY MORGAN.

175

Geoffroi, St. Hilaire, Dnon, &c., and Humboldt is not
in his premiere jeunesse. What are the rising talents
or budding notabilities? Are we to have nothing
better than Chateaubriand and his contemporarieshommes de circonstances-the Swiss of literature, ready
to fight for any god or king that hires them to plaquer
their coats with a bee or a lily as it may happen?
At all times the rarest moral quality to be found
in France is political honesty.
Lady Morgan to Lady Clarke.
November, 1818.

MY DEAR LivY-'Tis now three months since I received a letter
from you-the first and last you wrote after your
lying-in. For some time I was so miserable I could
enjoy nothing, and was on the point of returning home
at all risks, as I was certain you had made too free
with yourself and sunk under it. Lady Leitrim was
the first to set my mind at ease. She had received a
letter from Lady Charlemont saying, Lord C- had
Other
derived great benefit from Clarke's baths.
people told me they received Irish letters, and heard
nothing of you;* but at last arrived Mrs. Fletcher's
letter, which was full of your health and gaiety, and so
* Lady Clarke's letters, though duly written and sent, were never
delivered until they all arrived in a bundle from New York, whither they
had been carried by the American gentleman to whose care she had
addressed them.

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for your safety I was at rest; and am now utterly at
a loss to guess the cause of your silence. I have sent
you several letters and shabby little trifles :-a scarf,
books, music, shoes, workboxes, bonbonnieres, &c. &c.,
not one of which, I suppose, has reached you, since you
have not acknowledged one. I sent them at different
times by a Mr. Luby, Mrs. Blashford, Mr. Dalton,
and I now send twopennyworth of nonsense by Mr.
Quentin Dick, hopeless of anything reaching you; but
still not liking that the chance of an opportunity should
escape of recalling myself to dearest darlings' recollections, though, I suppose, they have quite .forgot poor
little mamma and big papa, who talk of them as often
as' they are alone together. I have scarcely energy
enough to write to you, so hopeless am I of anything
reaching you, or, at least, of obtaining an answer. We
are both well, Morgan particularly so, and looking
much younger and handsomer than you ever saw him:
I must add too, if possible, more devoted, and kind, and
amiable than ever. He has had a number of patients
on his hands; but he takes no fees. Poor Denon has
been confined to his bed these twelve days, and will
let no one near him but Morgan, who is curing him,
though slowly, by the vapour-bath. He is also attending Lady Augusta Leith's son-a very fine boy, the
image of the poor General-Mrs. Solly, and many
French friends, whose names you do not know. This,
with his visits to the hospitals and public institutions,

LA1)Y MORGAN.

177

keep him in constant practice, and his occupation is
so far profitable. His book here has had the greatest
vogue, and is now translating by the famous La
Croix, of the Institution. He is to be made honorary
member' of some of the first medical societies, and, in
short, is justly appreciated. Dr. Portail, the king's
first physician, Moreau, and most of the eminent men,
have waited on him, and spoke in handsome terms of
his work.. Humboldt said here, in a large circle, that
he had read it with equal delight and instruction;
that it was the first book of the kind ever published in
the English'language, and was worthy of being translated into every language. It has been placed in all
the public libraries here, while it has been formally
attacked at Cambridge, his own alma mater, by the
" Christian Advocate," Mr. Reynolds, one of their
professors, on the score of materialism. Mr. Lawrence
has also come under the same ban, but he has pruMorgan
dently withdrawn the offending passage.
His work is merely
is ready to take the field.
physiological, and they mean in England to attack
it on theological grounds, which is ridiculous. Meantime, while a beautiful translation is doing of
"Florence Macarthy" here, with a fine engraving,
the wretch who translated "France" has brought
out a, translation of "Florence," the four volumes,
a history of me, and a terrible fiction: it is
full of notes to turn me and the work into
ti

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ridicule and to destroy my popularity here.* I
am almost quite worn out with persecution, and
would most gladly exchange my fatal notoriety
for the most profound obscurity. The "Ultras "
here hate me with such virulence, that the other
night when an English lady praised me overmuch,
an "Ultra marquis," who is going to be married
to her (it is said) started up and said, "Madame, il
faut choisir, ou moi ou votre Lady Morgan !" This
does not prevent me being more followed than ever, if
that was any solace. Two Wednesdays ago, I had
twelve nations in my :salon (including Florentines,
Milanese, and Venetians) ; but though I had set my
face against English and Irish at my soirees, they have
so got in by introducing each other, that they are completely elbowing out the foreigners. I reckoned thirty
English here the other night, scarcely one of whom I
had seen before. I found, however, some old acquaintances among them :--Admiral and Lady Codrington,
whom I knew in London years ago, and Colonel and
Mrs. Doyley, he an old flirt of yours and mine at poor
Atkinson's when a little lieutenant. She is a regular
beauty and dasher; they are going to take command
in Dublin, and I am to introduce them to you. To do
the English justice, they are civil in return. We have
dined at eight English. houses running; two of the
* The translator was a government defaulter, and afterwards an emissary
of police. His name is Fauconprd.

LADY MORGAN.

179

pleasantest dinners were, one at Mr.Lattin's,* a friend of
Mrs. H. Rowan's, and at Mr. and Mrs. Cunningham's.
She is sister to Lady Aylmer, and so like in person
and in voice that when Lady Augusta Leith brought
her the first night to my soiree I thought it was Lady A.
We dine to-day at Colonel Roderick Macneil's, a young
Scotch laird, married to Miss Brownlow, whose brother
won the election from Col. Caulfield: she is niece to
Lady Powerscourt, De Vesci, &c., &c., &c., and very
rich-quite a little e'le'gante. The Frenchmen and
Italians come on purpose to see my English beauties,
for, as usual, I keep out all that is ugly, old, or insignificant.
Lord and Lady Leitrim seldom miss my
Wednesdays, and bring little Lord Clements and Lady
Maria. They were at Mrs. Solly's the other night;
who gave one of the best balls in Paris this winter.
Morgan said you would have died laughing; for 1
asked half the company, as usual. I took the Sardinian ambassador, and four Italians, the Princes de
Beauveau, the Rochefoucaults, two pretty Polish
princesses, young Ormsby, and a dozen more. We
go to the Princess Jablonowski's on Sundays, the Ducde Broglie's on Mondays, Duc de la Rochefoucault's on
Tuesdays, my own nights on Wednesdays, and so on
every week pretty much the same, which is much more
agreeable than our set invitations. Madame de Genlis
has sent to me to go to her to-night; she would be at
* See "Book of the Boudoir" for an account of this brilliant Irish wit.

N2

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180

Lydia White's. She is young and blooming as ever.
I ought not to write to you all this nonsense since
you seem to care so little about me; at least, kiss dear
Clarke and the baby for me.
S. M.
As to public news, the "Ultras" are quite out
again, the Liberals gaining fast. The liberty of the
press is, it is said, to be given directly by the minister in compliance with public opinion. The violent
Royalists, trying to make disturbances, attack a
Colonel Favier, who fought a duel, and behaved, as
you must have heard, most gallantly. Adieu. S. M.
For God's sake write by post, and soon! Send me
word how the house in Kildare Street stands, and all
the news.
I send this by Mr. Dick.
From General La Fayette to Lady Morgan.
Sunday, December 20th.

MY DEAR LADY,

Count de Confalonieri, a distinguished
Milanese, leaves Paris shortly for his own country.
He wishes to receive from you personally any commissions with which you may honour him respecting the period of our journey to Italy. I have taken
the liberty of naming to him Wednesday as a day on
which I could readily introduce him, if you will
permit me to do so. Sir Charles, of course, is included
THE

LADY MORGAN.

181

in the visit. I intended to call, but I have been
prevented, and I send you this billet, without prejudice to my waiting on you at the earliest moment.
A thousand regards.
LA FAYETTE.

Diary.-When La Fayette met the Commissioners
of the Allied Powers at Hogeneau to treat for an
armistice after the battle of Waterloo, Lord Stewart
had the insolence to address himself personally to him,
for the purpose of remarking that if the French wished
for an armistice, they must commence by surrendering Napoleon to the Allies. La Fayette's reply was,
"Et pour cela, vous vous addressez a un prisonnier
In a letter to the Emperor of Russia,
d'Olmutz ?"
he made some application in favour of Hortense, and
concluded by urging his request, as he said to me.
"even at the risk of being esteemed Bonapartist by
the Allied Monarchs, quoique ni eux, ni leurs ministres,
ni leurs fils m'ont vu a la cour imp6riale."
This anecdote was quoted the other morning by
Auguste Thierry, perhaps the most promising genius
of his time and country, in whatever way his extraordinary talents may develop themselves.
Apropos to the conversation, Morgan observed,
"That in the early history of Europe the several
nations consisted of an aggregate of slaves subjected
to one master, and the interests of the masters coming

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in antagonism the nations were thrown into warfare;
they had no other relationship than that which arose
out of the condition of the masters. At present, mankind are divided into the partisans of privileges and
of rights; the interests of all nations concentrate on
one or other of these points."
After everybody was gone, I said to Morgan, " You
always say the best thing that is said; only for the
battledore and shuttlecock of conversation, you are
perhaps too sententious in manner." " Perhaps," he
said, "non ho avuto tempo d'esser breve," as Casti
says; and so we went to dress for a dinner at the Duc
de Broglie's.
Diary. -A small but exquisite party at the Broglie's
yesterday; they are always themselves the most dis.
tinguished-looking couple wherever they appear; they
are both so handsome. But his great name, and her
intellectual birthright to distinction as the grand.daughter of Necker and the daughter of Madame de
Stael, are not favourable to individual and personal
comparisons. The duchess was remarkable, during
her mother's passage in England, for her gentle grace
and diffident manners; she is now cold and pensivelooking, as if the greatness of her mother had cast a
shadow over her, or, perhaps, it may be the recurrence of the temperament of her grandmother, Madame Necker, the Minerva of Messieurs Thomas,
and other philosophers de salon of that day: Geneva

LADY MORGAN.

3

183

and Calvin may also have something to do with it.
The duke is a tradition of the grands seigneurs of
the courtly times of France, a tradition fast wearing
out; but he is a good patriot and an honest, unswerving politician. The party, which was composed of General La Fayette,
the pure and
the brave, a man to redeem a whole generation of
girouettes politiques, such as now courent les rues,
Benjamin Constant, and Denon, and a lady, whose
name I did not know, but of the order of the
sisterhood, who are supposed d'avaler les couleuvres,
and yet no witch either, in short, a regular
in white dimity." She was, in fact, the ancienne
dame de compagnie of Madame de Stael, and, I
suspect, a bequest to her daughter. The tone of conversation on the whole, considering the personages, was

Manuel,*

"Norah

*In looking over this souvenir of a charming dinner, I am recalled to
Bdranger's funeral poem over the tomb of Manuel :" Contre un pouvoir qui de nous se separe,
Son eloquence a toujours combattu ;
Ce n'etait pas la foudre qui s'4gare,
C'otait un glaive aux mains de la vertu.
IDe la tombeau on l'arrache ; it en tombe
Entre les bras

d'un peuple tout entier.

La haine est Pa ; defendons bien sa tombe ;
Pretez secours au pauvre chansonnier.
Tu l'oublias, peuple encore trop volage,
Sitot qu'i. l'ombre il goilta le repos ;
Mais noble esquif mis a sec sur la plage,
La seule mort troubla la solitude,
0-. mes chansons accouraient l'e'gayer
Pour effacer quatre ans d'ingratitude.
Pretez secours au pauvre chansonnier," &c.

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not brilliant, but frank, unreserved, and political, and
remarks were made on recent acts of the government
which would never have been risked under the Empire.
We took our leave, pleading the fact that it was my
own night of reception. The duchess answered, " And
mine too; but your parties font jour in my salon, so
do not be surprised if you see us en suite of the general
and Constant, who I know are going to you." The
duchess always treated Constant like a father, and there
was some resemblance between them, especially in the
colour of their hair.
On entering my salon, where people had already
assembled, the first person I met was the Kaima Khan
of Moldavia in all his gorgeous trappings, chatting
with Talma, who was probably taking a lesson from his
grand oriental movements, and the foldings of his
drapery, which was perfectly theatrical. Similar incongruities came pouring in. Among my "perfides
Anglais" were the dear Reynolds Sollys, Lord and
Lady Leitrim of the bonne pdte, Irish and English.
Among the former enter Johnny B., the young Faublas!
The foreigners gave way to let him pass; his tight
whites and tight silk stockings showed his colossal legs
moulded on the type of an Irish chairman to great advantage, and " faisaient bracquer les lorgnettes " of
several demure French ladies, with the muttered exclamations of "Que des jarrets !" "A-t-on jamais vu,
madame, des jarrets comme ca ?" &c.

LADY MORGAN.

185

By way of redeeming the immorality of his apparition I went up to him, and said, austerely, "But
where is Lady Louisa ?" " At home, reading her
Prayer-book," he replied, with a wicked demure look.
But amongst the most distinguished guests in the
circle were two Italians, presented to me by General
La Fayette, whose friends they were.
They were
first-class men, and would have been considered as
such from one end of Europe to another, even before
their historical names were announced. The Count
Confalonieri, of Milan, and the Marquis Gino Capponi, of Florence, representatives of two of the
most noble and illustrious families of Italy. They
were in the prime of young manhood, lofty in stature, beautiful in their persons, and gracious in
their manners. They had been visiting England and
Ireland; in the latter place they had been residing at
Lyons, the seat of our dear friend Lord Cloncurry,
and were now fresh from the salons of Holland House
and Devonshire House.* Confalioneri was the very
type of a splendid leader of the Condottiere in the
middle ages-tall, dark-such eyes and teeth! with
the head of an Antinous! Capponi's person was
marked by peculiar elegance, and the graces of an
accomplished fine gentleman.
What an agreeable
* 1858.-The terrible hereafter, which pursued them from their palaces
to their dungeons, was then undreamed of in their laughing philosophy,
for they were full of hope and enthusiastic expectations of the liberation
of their glorious native land at no distant period.

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conversation we had in a corner! while Boucher was
playing mad pranks with his violin. This modern
Viotti was so in love with Napoleon, that he always
dressed a la Napoleon, whom he resembled, or thought
he resembled so much. My two Italians urged our
visit to Italy, and said, " they only asked such a book
as ' France,' " adding, " and with such feelings of
sympathy with the oppressed as in your Irish novels ;"
these were Confalioneri's own words. They promised
to have everything prepared for us in Milan and
Florence, and before they leave Paris they are to furnish us with letters of introduction to the best and
safest man there, the ex-grand Almoner of Italy,
They said, too, many other
the Abbate Brenne.
things, which it will not do to commit to a journal
in an htel garni, rue de Helder! They have invited
us to their respective palaces, and with an earnestness of manner that left no doubt of their sincerity-nous verrons. In short, last night was a
grand succes. Paul Courier, however, did not come,
and so the part of "Macheath" was left out, but not by
particular desire! Raoul Rochette made his apology.
Lady Morgan to Lady Clarke.
H6tel du Tibre, Rue de Helder,
Boulevards Italiens, December, 1818.
MY DEAR LOVE,

MR.

WARDEN has been here to say that a gentle-

man belonging to the Insurance Office of Belfast has

LADY MORGAN.

187

offered to take some little things for him to Dublin,
and so I seize on the opportunity of writing, as usual,
and sending a very little thing or two. Observe, you
have three of mine now unanswered: one was about
your play, telling you Mr. Harris had written to me.
I have not received any answer from him since I
wrote to him a fortnight back, but suppose he has
written to you. I sent you by Mr. Luby a French
book for the children, and a scarf for your head.
I trust you have got it all right and safe by this.
Paris is beginning to fill, and the number of persons
that get introduced to us of all nations is very
amusing. Yesterday we had an Italian princess, a
Venetian count, and a Maltese knight commander,
all very delightful people, and offering their services
to us in Italy. The Venetian young, and very handsome and amusing; told us a great deal of Lord
Byron's sejour at Venice. At first he was very little
known, and only seen at a Countess Albrizzi's, to
whom we have letters, and who is the first woman
in Venice; but now he is re'pandu, and receives company in his box at the opera. All the Italians here
seem much interested in our journey, and anxious to
forward our views. We have authors, poets, and
patriots of all sorts. A Count ID'Arlincourt came
to see us the other day; he is the author of a
new poem called "Charlemagne "-very bad. He
is well-looking, rich, has a fine hotel, but wears a

188

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velvet waistcoat bound with gold, and told me he
was called the "Virgile of France." So much for
Buckingham! Another poe the son of the wellknown Madame de Campan, and first cousin of Marshal
Ney-has been here, with twenty others, to get the
translation of "Florence;" but that being disposed of,
he is translating "Lalla Rookh" in prose. He has
sent me two books of it to look at: not ill done.
Another gentleman has written he most supplicating
letter to go to his concert, saying he had been trying
all over Paris to get himself introduced to me, and in
despair wrote to me himself. M. and Madame Constant, and the Countess Hardenberg, daughter-in-law
to the Prussian minister, are to go with us. What it
is all to be about I don't know, but begins at twelve,
and I have got up early to write to you before I go.
The fun of it is, that dear Denon has begged of us, in
the name of one Italian lady, to go to her concert in
the evening; so, for once, Morgy will have enough of
it. All our friends are returning back from Spa and
their chateaux. Every member of the Prince de Beauveau's family has been here, and we were with them
yesterday. The Villettes and the La Rochefoucaults
wrote to me to make an appointment to see me
to-morrow. This being at home is by no means an
expensive concern. In some houses they give nothing
at all; I give simply tea. The other night a lady
called for a lump of sugar; she had no sooner begun

LADY MORGAN.

189

to eat it than almost every one called for a lump of
sugar; and there was my whole party, each with a bit
of sugar in their hands. At last I ventured to ask
what preference they had for that sort of refreshment.
One said, "C'est bon pour la digestion ;" another,
"Cela bernis le gosier ;" another, "Cela distrait," &c.,
&c., and all this quite seriously. Now, you will allow
this is entertaining your friends at a cheap rate, as
you can provide a whole party at the expense of a
pound of sugar. There is a very pretty melodrama
come out here, which we went to see-" Le petit
chaperon rouge " (" Little Red Riding Hood "). It
was played, I am afraid, when Harris was here, and
it is just possible he may be getting it translated. I
send it to you, however; if you could translate the
poetry, and adapt it to old English popular airs,
change the scene from Switzerland to England, and
and make all the characters old English, I think it
might do. The music is not all out yet, except one or
two popular songs, which have been stolen. The most
popular of all, sung by Little Red Riding Hood, I
send you. It is what the French call a ronde-the
prettiest thing in the world-that is, a Dance. It is
waltzing time; and while the chorus sing, they all
waltz. I send you a burlesque of "Charlotte and
Charlotte is a colporteur in petticoats.
Werter."
I send the girls a bonbonniere among them, and your
papa sends baby a Polichinelle, for whom he will pro-

190

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bably get an engagement at the Stephen Green
Theatre Royal, together with some new music for all,
and a sketch of me by Dnon, and a scarf for
your own handsome shoulders. Just as I get so far,
enter Mr. Warden, with a great lump of a Belfast man,
Billy Fitz-Adam, with red hair, eyes, and whiskers, who
jumped a mile back when I showed him Polichinelle,
and said it was "uncummen large, and, in short,
refused to take anything but a letter, and that open,
as he was uncommon afraid of the custom-house
officers, &c., &c. So, without ceremony, and in a great
passion, I turned him out, for the price of his taking
my parcels was giving him leave to come and look at
me, at least. I have now hopes of another gentleman,
a Mr. Sanky, who, I understand, is very obliging, and
who is to call on me to-day. Well, we have been at
the concert, and found there every noted person in
France. Morgan and I got into a corner with the
celebrated Comte Lanjuinais, Constant, and Talma.
Imagine my horror when, in the midst of this crowd,
the master of the house (the finest violin-player I ever
heard) insisted on my coming forward and taking a
seat in the front of all, saying I was his inspiration (!)
I thought I should have died of it. Morgan was
enchanted with the concern, as well he might be.
The best of it is, that this fanatico violonico and his
wife, who is the first harp-player in Paris, volunteered
to play on my Wednesday evenings; and not only

LADY MORGAN.

191

that, but to bring tous les premiers artistes de Paris
with them; so I am to have a concert in form without
any trouble; and, to my great astonishment as well
as Morgan's, the Princess de Beauveau, the Duc and
Duchesse de Broglie, the Countess Hardenberg, and
La Rochefoucault, with all their families, are coming;
and among my ce'lbres, Talma, Constant, Jouy (the
hermite de la Chaussie d'Antin), Du Patty, the poet,
Etienne, ditto, Denon, Segur, Baron de Stael, and
many others.
Morgan swears I'll suffocate them
all, as the French are wholly unused to a squeeze. I
have asked Mrs. Blashford, Mr. Grattan, and the
Bushes to come, though, generally speaking, I keep
very clear of the English. There is an ultra-royalist
work which has attacked me here, and every one is
indignant; they have attacked Madame de Stael at the
same time. Are you reading the "Memoirs of Madame
d'Epinay" I sent you by Miss Nugent ? Your letter is
just come and has spread great joy; we were longing
to hear from you. We are well contented with the
bargain made for the house, though half regret it is let
so long as a year. We should like to have the house
in Merrion Square, but for the moment that is out
of the question. However, nothing that we know of
can prevent our returning and settling in old Dublin
for life in a year's time at farthest. I am delighted
with all you tell me of the children: they are dear,
good girls. I'll have the finishing of them my-

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self, and shall be greatly annoyed if no one will
take charge of their little boxes. As to a history of
France, Morgan will look about for one, but there is
scarcely one I could recommend to children, nor would
I be at all anxious they should look into history for
some years; languages, geography, a little astronomy,
some time hence; writing, arithmetic, all that employs
the memory, and develops the character, and regulates
conduct and temper; for the present, plenty of stories,
tales, &c., &c.; and, above all, habits of reading and
occupation: and so much for my lectures on education; but remember, theirs is particularly the age for
languages. We were last night at a party at Benjamin Constant's, where there were Poles, Germans,
Italians, all speaking their different languages. Prince
Paul of Wurtemburg was there, whom I met before
when I was in Paris. Answer these questions :-Has
Colburn agreed with Clarke about his book? Have
you got the tricote'e? Has the old lady asked
hope not. In future
another bed or carpet ?-I
we will have the rent paid into the bank; the
lady to send word to Clarke the day it is paid:
we are going to write to her to that purpose. The
death of Sir S. Romilly has filled us all with grief and
consternation. What a fatality! If you get a hun.
dred pounds down from the proprietors of Crow Street
for "Red Riding Hood," you would do well to give it
them. We enjoyed your account of the christening

LADY MORGAN.

193

above all things, and your description of Weld Hartstong's wig, together with Bob King's* emotion.
Morgan would have liked to have been present on the
occasion. I rejoice in your French governess, and
suppose she is the Madame du Barry, Louis XV.'s
mistress.! I shall expect to hear the girls speak
nothing but French. If Nanny returns with us, what
an academy of sciences we shall have! Susan Morgan
came to spend a day with us. She is a fine-looking,
handsome creature, and in love with brother Charles,
whom she resembles. Have you got my picture and
magazine? Don't give up the key of the closet for
the little soul. Did Molly go over to give up the
tea-things, blankets, carpets, &c., &c. ? Look up in
my room: I have a catalogue here with me, besides
that I left with Humphreys. Take care of yourself,
and don't catch cold this winter. I have quite set
myself up.
November 12th, 1818.-This letter was begun a
week ago. Last night was my "Wednesday." Everybody came that I mentioned before, and a great many
others. Denon brought an ambassador with him;
the Commander of the Knights of Malta, with a large
white cross embroidered on his black dress, came with
the Comte de Velo, my Venetian favourite. We had
first-rate music, for Boucher, directeur de musique
* Archdeacon Robert King, son of the celebrated Irish Archbishop of

that day.
0

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to the King of Spain, the first violinist in Europe, and
his wife, offered their services, and not only sent harp
and violin, but wanted to bring a whole band with
them, which I declined. Carbonel sang like an angel.
Johnny B-fell desperately in love with the
beautiful Countess de la Rochefoucault, who was
greatly amused with him and his French; and it is
difficult to say whether he was most charmed with her,
Denon, or some brandy punch, which is all the fashion
here. To-morrow I am going to take Mrs. Blashford* and Mr. Grattan to see Denon's collection; I
need not say how happy I am to be able to show them
any attention. Mrs. Blashford has consented to take
the music and letters; but every one flies my Punch
and workbox. I have made myself up for the winter
very snug. There is a podle in my anteroom, a
vat-ish-das in my salon-make money of that !-and I
have a magnificent vitchura when I walk out. Morgan
has furnished himself with foulards, and sables, and
other necessaries; and if you don't know what all these
things, indispensable to us elegantes of Paris mean, you
are a poor creature ! I wrote you word that La Fayette
has been elected, and the triumph it has made. Tell
Mrs. Bushe to propose the following enigma, with my
best compliments, to the Ladies Caulfield : " Si un
cornichon jouait la comedie, quel role jouerait-il ?"
* Mrs. Blashford, now Countess of Carnwatb, and the eldest of Henry
Grattan's two accomplished daughters.

195

LADY MORGAN.

Morgan will never forgive me if I don't leave room for
a line. Did baby get the stockings I sent her by Miss
Nugent? Did Curran give you a little bandbox of
flowers ? Sanky went off without calling when he
heard of a workbox and Polichinelle. I send a letter
open for Clarke's perusal for Lyons, and beg he will
enclose and send it to Lady C--.
From the Marquis Capponi, a friend of Count Confalonieri.
Monday.

I SEND you, my lady, my conversation with
Bonaparte. I have copied it with the most scrupulous exactness, as far as my memory has served
me. I have too much sincerity and too little talent
to have added anything to it.
I entreat you to send me the fourth volume of your
" Florence Macarthy," of whom I begin to be absolutely enamoured. I delight in seeing General Fitzwalter, though a man of spirit, embarrassed by a
woman. It is the only case in which our self-love is
not shocked, although usually so imperious. I am,
with the most respectful attachment,
CAPPONI.
19 Rue des Petits Augustins, Paris,
December 18th, 1818.

MY LADY,
I AM flattered and honoured beyond measure by
the approbation of Sir Charles. The esteem of men
like him is made to be appreciated to the highest
o2

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degree by all those who feel and think. My " Tresor
des Origines," and "Dictionnaire Grammatical Raisonn " of the French language have cost me fortyone years of labour. I commenced them at Rome in
June, 1777. All the articles on the three first letters
of the alphabet, amounting to three thousand eight
hundred and forty-one, similar to those of the
specimen I had the honour of placing before you, are
at the disposal of Sir Charles. The other letters of
the alphabet are in my house at Vauxbain, near
Soissons, department of the Aisne.
I know, my lady, that you have very little leisure,
and I am well aware that to intrude on your time is to
commit an absolute peculation. I am anxious, nevertheless, that you should read my "Abel, or the Twin
This work includes three philosophical
Brothers."
ideas of considerable importance. My conversation of
the Jesuit with the tiger, &c., will make you smile.
You will see in my doctor of the Sorbonne, which I
believe I sent you, that in my turn I banter a little
with certain expressions of a man that neither you nor
I had some wish that these
I particularly like.
humorous trifles should be printed in London; but
after what you have told me, I see that this would be
attended with some difficulty. I am sorry for myself,
and more for England. Undoubtedly I prize my own
country above any other in the world; nevertheless,
my true and ardent love ,for liberty well understood,

LADY MORGAN.

197

and for public happiness, leads me to embrace all
nations without distinction.
As soon as you have
finished reading my philosophical vagaries, I will send
you my letters on various subjects, in which you will
find several anecdotes that may interest you respecting
personages of notoriety-J. J. Rousseau, and my
master and estimable friend, M. d'Alembert.
You
can keep this manuscript as long as you wish.
Admiration and respect,
C. POUGEANCE.
Diary.-A SMALL political party had begun to spring
up when we were last in Paris, which presided in
particular salons, where all the women were wise and
all the men virtuous. It had obtained the soubriquet
of "Messieurs du Canape," because they always contrived to occupy the same sofa, seeking speciality
rather than personal comfort, and their numbers were
not then more than enough to fill one sofa. They
have now developed into a political party, and have
assumed or accepted the title of "Doctrinaires ;" and
the Duc de Cazes, now in the height of his power, has
received some of them into the ministerial ranks-a
great improvement on the Vaublancs and Blacases.
They have the cachet of Geneva, and are great
partisans of their own opinions, and believers in
their own importance. Their first and great article of
faith is,
"Nul n'aura de l'esprit hors de nous et nos

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amis." Their names have as yet, however, no national
influence; wit stands aloof from them; philosophy,
with sarcastic ceremony, draws aside to let them pass;
and the people know little about them. The king
endures them (but votes them mauvais ton), en attendant
--. another phase in political and ministerial society, as
he smiles upon his ministers with a twinkle in his sly
eye, which indicates his inherent falseness. "Je ne
suis que le premier gentilhomme de mon royaume,"
said Henry IV.; and Louis XVIII. most likely thinks
of himself, " et moi, je suis le seul." Still there is more
than one clever man, or rather clever lecturer, among
the Doctrinaires; but, to judge from the languid conversation at a Doctrinaire dinner, where I had the
honour to be present the other day, they are all too
didactic to be agreeable.
There was, however, an exception, Du Vergier du
Haurranne, who was our Amphytrion, and gave the
dinner a notre intention. As for me, I sat silent
till I was tired, and then I suddenly invoked the
attention of a Calvinistic-looking gentleman who sat
beside me, and who had hitherto preserved a rigorous
silence. "Monsieur," said I, "os6-je vous demander
quelle est la religion a la mode a Paris maintenant ?"
Il me toisa; and then came a long-drawn "Comment, madame ?" I found myself on the wrong tack,
and endeavoured to get out of my scrape as well as I
could, seeing he took me au grand serieux; so I said,

LADY MORGAN.

199

" In Paris people change the fashion of their religion
as they do of their politics,-at least they change the
object of their superstition. Madame Guyon founded
her faith of love, and upset that of Fendlon; and Madame de Krudener, the prophetess of the Holy Alliance, what a success she has had !-making a despot
listen to his faults, seasoned with the delicate flattery
of her prophecies about the 'white angel' and the
'black angel"'--(the epithets by which she distin..
guished Alexander and Napoleon).
My flippant nonsense brought down on me a lecture instead of an answer, far too clever for me to
reply to, seeing I did not understand it, and too long
to register here if I could.
" L'art d'ennuyer est l'art de tout dire."

Morgan was all this time talking metaphysics on
the other side of the table, but not unobservant of me
either, being always afraid of my getting out of my
depth (which I generally do, though somehow, like
other light things, I always contrive to float) ; and he
snubbed me well when we met at home at one o'clock
in the morning, for exposing my ignorance to these
well got-up Doctrinaires, of whose doctrines I knew
nothing.*
"Well, my dear !" as we say in Ireland when we
enter on a gossipry, when we rose from table, and had
* This was not the case ten years afterwards. See "France, 1830,"
which shows what the one sofafull of Doctrinaires had developed into.

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had our demi-tasse, we got into our remise-that special
French carriage which never breaks down, drawn by
horses-that never tire, and driven by a coachman who
never sleeps! I set Morgan down at the Opera Comique, where a fair English relative had reserved him
a seat in her loge.--[N.B. Morgan enjoys an opera,
serious or comic, beyond everything else in the world.]
-I drove to the Faubourg St. Honord, to pay a visit
to Madame de Houchien, who receives in the charming easy French style every evening.
Madame de Houchien had been a dame d'atour of the"
Empress Josephine, and her salon was Bonapartiste
tout pur.
Her comperes this evening were no less than Denon,
Segur, and M. de Mortemar, the latter creating groups
out of a pack of cards scattered on the table. Well,
the moment I mentioned where I had come from,
grande hilarite!
"Figurez vous," said Madame de Houchien, "the
author of that maudite 'France,' popped down among
these Solons and Lycurguses."
They insisted on hearing how I had de'bidte'd, and my
irreverent question as to the religion la mode was the
text to a most curious and interesting conversation, in
which every one bore a part, and were well qualified to
do so, as they knew all the chief actors, and, above all,
the principal actresses at the Congress of Vienna
(1814), where Madame de Krudener was the pythoness,

a"

LADY MORGAN.

201

and the Duchesses de Biron and de Bragazia were the
secret oracles of Metternich, who won his spurs in
their boudoirs.
Lady Castlereagh (with whom, by-the-by, some two
or three years ago, I lived for three days every week:for she used to come to Lord Abercorn's whilst I was
there every Saturday, and stopped till Monday), who
was "so innocent, dear chuck," of the knowledge of
all politics, that even that Mephistopheles of diplomacy,
Talleyrand, gave her up in despair, though he tried
his hand to turn her to account whilst she was at
the Congress.
"Oh," said D6non, "Madame Krudener engrossed
all influences. I remember her at the Congress, and
later at Paris, when her salons were crowded with
devotees and crowned heads. She was the greatest
actress I ever saw-too melo-dramatic for a Clairon
or a Mars, but quite good enough for an audience of
kings and emperors; for royalty has loved the drama
from Caesar to Bonaparte."
"How was she dressed ?" I asked-always a woman's
first idea.
"Well, in a flowing robe of white cashmere, or some
soft fabric, but draped artistiquement,the folds gathered
round her waist by a silver girdle, des tresses dorees
flowing in profusion over a neck of alabaster. She
had the air of having been flung on a crimson velvet
sofa piled with cushions-the sort of background a

202

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painter would have chosen for her. Always two or
three crowned heads in attendance :-Alexander on
one side, dressed to effect in black and diamonds; the
King of Prussia, nowise remarkable except by contrast,
on the other. On a low stool at the feet of the prophetess sat her disciple, Bergasse, and her high priest,
Jung Stilling."
" Ecoutez done !" said Madame de Houchien, nudging
me; " est-il artiste, notre D6non ? Quelle groupe !"
"Attendez, attendez !" said Dnon. In the midst
of a solemn silence she rose, and extending her arms,
exclaimed, with a strange and penetrating tone,
"Prions !" Down on his knees went the Emperor
of all the Russias, followed by everybody present,
kings, aides-de-camp, and valets included.
"And this," said Segur, starting up, "was the
grandson of my great Catherine !"
"You may well say your great Catherine," said
Denon. " What must the Prince de Ligne * have
thought on the occasion? He was present."
"Madame de Krudener must have had great talent,"
said Madame de Houchien.
"Pas le moins du monde," said Denon. "She had
art, the genius of mediocrity."
* The Count de Segur, ambassador from France, the Emperor Joseph,
and the Prince de Ligne, were the compagnons de voyage of the Empress
Catherine on her first visit to her new acquisition of the Crimea. The
Count de Segur was supposed to be distinguished by the Empress's particular favour.

LADY MORGAN.

203

"Yes," ventured I, "she had religion for her aid;
but she fought with the arms of St. Therese, who
legislated for popes, and made princes do her bidding.
Once you get into the spiritual, you have nothing to
go by but faith; and Madame de Krudener had
the greatest faith in Jung Stilling, as the Emperor
Alexander had in her."
Here Humboldt was announced. I never hear his
name without rising with involuntary deference. His
presence recals all that is most sublime in the capability of human nature. His gigantic labours, contrasted with the pleasant familiarity of his conversation, indicate the universality of the highest order of
mind. He is like the elephant, who can with equal
ease tear down an oak or pick up a pin! With me,
he always "picks up the pin," and we fell into persiflage as usual. His frequent visits to my salon, and
his great kindness to us, have not diminished the awe
and reverence with which I first met him. He is
reckoned very sarcastic, and given to mystification.
D6non put me en garde against this habit, on which I
answered, "Jalousie du metier." And so I soon after
took my leave, somewhat wearied, but highly delighted
by the contrast of the two societies, "Les hommes de
la veille et les hommes de l'avenir." I am glad, however, I was born soon enough toy live among the
former.
Diary.-At breakfast the next morning Morgan

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resumed the subject of those sage, grave young men,
with whom we had dined the day before. He said
they reminded him of the mystics of the thirteenth
century, and the cold pedantry of the dialecticians of
that pedantic age.
" La graviti," says Voltaire, "n'est que la masque
de la mediocrit6."
The wits, philosophers, and even churchmen of the
age of Louis XIV., were all professors of "la gaie
science." Even Fendlon wrote charming madrigals,
and thought so well of them, that he inserted one in
one edition of Madame Guyon's "Pious Breathings."
I quoted, for Morgan's amusement, this charming
madrigal of the Archbishop of Cambrai*"Jeune, j'dtais trop sage
Et voulais trop savoir;
Je ne veux mon age
Que badinage,
Et touche a mon dernier age
Sans rien privoir."

k

Morgan was charmed, and when I told him Lulli
had set it music, he declared he would go that very
day to all the old music-shops to try and find it.
Following up the subject in my own mind, whilst
Morgan read the "Globe," the vehicle of the Doctrinaires, it struck me that people of slow temperament,
pale colour, and motionless muscles are always grave,
if not dull. Animal spirits are vitality itself; and
* "Les Nonettes," said Voltaire, "took exception to the madrigal," and
it was left out in all the subsequent editions.

LADY MORGAN.

205

when that spirit fails, "tirez le rideau la farce est
joude !" " Is it not so ?" said. I to my Fellow of the
College of Physicians, and a very good fellow, though
it is I, his wife, who say it.
"Well," said he, " it is not a bad hit for you."
For me, forsooth ! Oh, man-" man dressed in a
little brief authority !"-how you hector it ! Well, our
day will come ; and so I pursued my reverie, of which
the sublime Humboldt was the hero and the subject.

Diary.-The gods take care of Casar !-that may be
said in truth of the professed bore, "who comes, and
sees, and conquers !" He knows he is a bore, and
trades upon it. I have two bores who haunt me, male
and female. They began in Kildare Street, they continue it in Paris, and they will pursue me to the
Pontine Marshes !
"They stop the chariot, and they board the barge."

Well, I gave notice in the porter's lodge that I
never would be "at home" to Mr. W-die, and would
never be "out" to the Baron Humboldt. "Bien,
bien, miladi," said the porter, writing on his slate;
and so I thought myself secure of the reception of the
first man in the world in my opinion, and safe to
* This foreboding was realised; for the man-bore actually did overtake
us at the Pontine Marshes, whilst we were changing horses at the "Tre
Taverne," and I was talking to a monk who was going to Rome, the most
agreeable man I ever met by chance.

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escape the last man in the world I ever wished to see.
Well, my own servant being out, the frotteur entered
this morning, announcing Mons. Valdie ! and complacently presenting me, at the same time, with a little
billet written in the lodge from M. Humboldt !* Here
it is. " M. Humboldt toujours malheureux." After such
a contretemps, one has nothing left to do but to die, to
retire into a convent ! Paris abounds in these enfonceurs des portes, as the great central place where bores
from all regions most do congregate, every nation
sending its contingent, but where I never met a native
bore.
Mr. W.'s word, on entering, always was, "I come
to beg of you to introduce me to --- ," and this was
the prologue to a " swelling tale ;" for it began with
some French minister or English duchess, and ended
with the Dog of Montargis, or some other animal
celebrity, taking in its course all that was best worth
knowing or desiring to know in Paris. One of his
modes of procedure was to tread on somebody's toes,
then beg pardon, and ask permission to leave his card
the following day! And this was a plagiarism from a
certain Mr. "Toe " King, so called from this invention!
Diary.-A dinner and delightful soiree at the Comte
de Tracy's, with all the family La Fayette. The
daughter of Comte de Tracy is married to George La
* I made use of this incident in my novel of " The Princess," the perpetrator being " Lady O'Doherty."

LADY MORGAN.

207

Fayette, the general's only and worthy son, and we had
all the de Lastyries and de Maubourgs, the charming
offspring of the general's two daughters, to freshen
up the historical re'union. Youth, just budded into
adolescence; middle age on the right side of declining
life; and grandsires and granddames passing through
it with unsubdued vigour and lustre. The Countess
de Tracy is a brilliant tradition of the times of the
witty du Chitelets and du Deffands, with the liberalism and patriotism of Madame Roland, and a conversational eloquence which I rather suspect surpassed
that of the sublimest victim of the Reign of Terror.
Not even the victories of Bonaparte, to the honour
and glory of France, could reconcile Madame de Tracy
to his despotism; and when I spoke of the little king
of Rome with interest, she said, "Ne parlez pas de ce
petit vipre, ma chore; si j amais il reviendra, il chassera
de race." Speaking of Madame de Stael, with whom
she lived in intimacy, she said, "Her social ambition
was quite morbid; she was so covetous of the distinctions of society that she could not bear to hear of
a grand party of which she was not either the giver
or the receiver. It happened one evening," said Madame de Tracy, "that a brilliant locataire of ours in
this hotel gave a soire'e prie'e, whilst Madame de Stael
was sitting with me tete-a-tete; carriage after carriage
rattled into the court; Madame de Stael began to
fidget, exclaiming, from time to time, "Que du monde!

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Mais cette dame done est bien 'a la mode ! N'tes-vous
pas jalouse qu'une de ces voitures ne viens vous chercher ?" Bonaparte hated ideology and ideologists, but
he had a great respect for the genius and high character of the Count de Tracy. In the evening our apresdiner was ennobled by the arrival of Count Segur and
the Baron D6non. The conversation turned on very abstruse subjects, but very delightfully discussed. Count
de Tracy, speaking of his own "Elimens d'Idiologie,"
which had become the subject of discussion, let fall
opinions which would make the bench of bishops jump
sky-high! "But being down, are there any levers to
lift them up again ?" as Falstaff asks. Speaking of
the Chapelle Ardente, which had been raised at Vincennes at the Restoration to the memory of the Due
d'Enghien, La Fayette observed, " Ces douleurs politiques, dont les autels d'expiation ne sentent et ne
lvent que la vengeance, et qui nous revendiquent
le droit de pleurer que pour avoir le droit d'hair !"
Madame de Tracy's description of a soire'e at Madame
de Stael's, where the Emperor Alexander was present,
was most graphic. Among other mots of Napoleon
addressed to La Fayette, he has the following, which
he most emphatically pronounced: "Avec mes pr6fets,
mes gens d'armes et mes pretres, je ferai toujours ce
que je voudrais !" Speaking of the ancienne noblesse
who filled his court on his accession to imperial power,
he said, "Quand je leur ai ouvert la porte des armes,

LADY MORGAN.

209

personne n'est venu, 'a peine ai je ouvert la porte de
l'antichambre qu'ils s'y pricipitaient en foule; il n'y
a que les gens de cette classe qui sachent servir."
"Quel loge pour nous autres !" said Madame de
Tracy, laughing. The conversation turned accidentally
on Mirabeau; his wonderful genius, his wonderful
talents, and wonderful vices; Madame de Tracy said,
nodding to La Fayette, "Vous 4tiez son bete noir, mon
ami; il disait toujours 'Est-ce que La Fayette sera
done " dictateur ? " ' It frequently happens how ill the
true character of a great man agrees with the popular
impression of it. To clear a good name from the
aspersions of ignorance and prejudices of party or
calumny, is a sacred duty to those who have within
their power the means afforded by truth and observation, and earnestness of purpose to carry out a task
which restores to virtue its own rights, and to society
an example and a theme to illustrate its true interests,
and to better its condition. Bad men and bad women
are bad elements for any purpose. The two most
salient characters of the age in which they flourished
were La Fayette and Mirabeau, the two extremes of
human idiosyncracy, physical and moral.

From the Count de Sgur to Lady Morgan.
Paris, Monday.

M. DE SEGUR'S state of health rarely permits him
to mix with society in the evening. This alone preP

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vents him from profiting by Lady Morgan's invitation; but if she will permit him, he will have the
honour of occasionally paying his respects to her in
the morning, and he begs her to accept his respectful
homage.
THE COUNT DE StGUR.

Diary.-Dec. 1818.-Jouy, ou l'Hermite de la
Chaussee d'Antin, has become a great crony of ours,
and is at present in a delightful state of excitement
about his new play, from which so much is expected;
but which is actually proscribed by the Censeur.
Jouy inveighs most brilliantly and daringly against
the present order of things, and says that France has
not advanced a step towards the liberty of the press
since the license granted to the publication of the
Koran-in which, said the Censeur, "I1 n'y a rien
contre le roi onu la religion de la patrie."
"The
French miladi," are still the Welsh of Voltaire : their
love of despotism is an instinct. A Bourbon or a
Bonaparte, c'est egal! only give them fetes and processions. You saw the Duchesse de Berri walk past your
windows to the Church of St. Germaine en Laye, in
white satin shoes, with her lover behind, and the
crucifix before her-and the people qui se pamait
d'extase at the sight. Diable cela fait enrager !"
"But of what do they accuse you ?" said Sir
Charles.

LADY MORGAN.

211

" How should I know ?" said he; "but I will bring
you my play, and read it to you."
" Well," said I, "you will be here to-night, when
Talma and Duchenois will be here; and Talma has
promised to recite for us his scene of Macbeth, who,
in Ducie's translation, is made to recite as a dream of
the scene with the witches ; something after the manner of the dream of Richard III."
" 'Tis a great mistake," said Jouy, "but it is
Talma's cheval de bataille at present, and it is impossible de lui de'monter. I will ask him and Duchenois
to read the act, par excellence, of my forbidden play,
and you must get together an audience worthy
of us."

Diary, Thursday.-I had a brilliant assemblage,
chiefly English however, as I knew it would be a
treat to them to see Talma off the stage, and to hear
Shakspeare disguised in his French dress. A few excellencies, and a pack of German savants, were brought
by Benjamin Constant, who had no knowledge of
Shakspeare, except through Schlegel, but great pretensions-several habitues, who had face tickets, and, alas !
some of those enfonceurs de portes, who, having forced
themselves on our acquaintance, stick like burrs.
The recitation of Talma was fine, but cold; and
more terror was conveyed by the old witches in their
high-crowned hats than by all the emphasis and points
of Ducie.
x2

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Shakspeare is supreme in melodrame, and he is its
founder; and the melodrame of Macbeth is finer than
any modern exhibition which has followed it. But his
high-wrought poesy, and all that makes the supremacy
of his genius, leave far behind the contrivances and
mechanical aids of science and scene-shifting.
Duchenois came, holding a bouquet of violets, as
large as a full-grown cauliflower. Talma, I perceived,
kept his eyes on Duchenois, valuing, perhaps, her judgment above that of the princesses and duchesses who
cry "bravo" to the echo. When he had done she
presented him with her bouquet, which, of course,
comme de rigueur, he kissed as he took it.
There is not the least use in a French woman's
being handsome. Duchenois is a great illustration of
this-she has so many charms, and une grdce plus que
la beaute meme, and yet in any other country she
would be thought "plain indeed." She was dressed
in black velvet, with diamonds on her bosom, and a
coiffeur a la grecque. She is certainly a noble-looking
creature, albeit the ugliest woman I ever saw!
Talma and Duchenois agreed to come on my next
Wednesday, and read the act from Sylla, as it was
not possible to read it to-night.
* 1858. All honour, however, to the historical fidelity and poetical conception of Charles Kean, the son of a great actor, and himself the founder
of an eminent art. At the time this diary was penned, the future illustrator of the grand idealities of Shakspeare was a boy whose vocation
had as yet "not come within the prospect of belief."

LADY MORGAN.

213

From the Prince de Craon (M. Edward de Beauveau) to Lady Morgan.

I HASTEN to send to dear Lady Morgan, what at
present is more than anything else in request, and
difficult to obtain, a ticket for the opening of the
Chambers.
Most happy shall I be if I can thus
assist to procure for her numerous readers-or rather
admirers-one of those lively articles with which they
are so unanimously charmed.
It will afford me equal pleasure if Lady Morgan
should turn into ridicule, and excite to ultra rage,
those who are envious of her-that is to say, the
enemies of her sincerely devoted knight,
EDWARD DE BEAUVEAU.

From General La Fayette to Lady Morgan.
Wednesday morning.

I WENT yesterday to the Chamber, my dear lady,
to secure you two tickets, and only accomplished half
my object; but the absence of two colleagues, and the
complaisance of the third, have enabled me to obtain
all the interest of the Department of the Sarthe.
They say a lady's ticket is admissible everywhere,
but in taking the place exclusively reserved for ladies,
you must separate from your companions.
If you have received your two tickets from any
other quarter, return these to me. I do not wish to
make a boast of my refusals, but in case you do not
both require my aid to be present at the sitting, which

214

DIARY OF

is my first object, I know where I can dispose of those
tickets very acceptably. My daughters have told me
of your kindness in inviting them for this evening.
They added, that there was some apprehension of
Wednesday being adjourned to Thursday; but I have
also heard that M. Talma played at the Theatre Francais. In that case he will visit you to-day. I am
the more anxious for this, as on the evening of the
" speech from the throne," the deputies may be
Good-bye until we
obliged to converse together.
meet.
LA FAYETTE.

Opening of the Chambers, 1818.-There never was
known such a desire to get tickets, &c., on such an
occasion, or such difficulty. We succeeded in getting
The opening of the seance was most imthree.
posing-the splendour of the throne was dazzling:
peers in their robes-the conseil d'etat in their livery
at the foot of the throne-deputies to the left-tabourets for the princes. When La Fayette entered, every
eye was turned on him, and every tongue pronounced
his name as admiration, fear, or hope dictated. When
the chancellor read out the list of names, each answered with French impetuosity or petulance, save
La Fayette, whose calm and distinct tones produced a
great effect. Who there hadl-not ejaculated their " e
jure" to all forms of government under heaven, and

LADY MORGAN.

215

yielded to all in turn save La Fayette? I observed
that before he pronounced the word he stretched out his
hand in a very emphatic attitude. We were seated
near the princesses and their suite, and therefore in
the very foyer of ultra legitimacy; and after the king
had passed to the throne, and they were all about to
disperse, I heard some of them say, "I will wait to see
how La Fayette conducts himself." The lady who
sat next me, " une tris-grande dame," was reading
ses " Heures" all the time. The external forms of
Catholicism have greatly gained ground since the
return of the Bourbons, and the petites mattresses of
the Faubourgs toddle about with splendidly-bound
"Heures" and magnificent reticules. Remarking this
to Dnon, he said, "Oui, ma chore, la sottise est bien
ddveloppee !" and St. Thomas Aquinas, the favourite
saint of the present day, disputes the pas with Victorine et le petit Dunkirque (the famous toy shop). The
church of St. Thomas Aquinas was the fashionable
resort of the beau monde.

Lady Morgan to Lady Clarke.
Hotel du Tibre, Rue de Helder, Paris,
Sunday, December 20th, 1818.

MY DEAR LOVE,
THE habit of not hearing from you does not at all
reconcile us to your silence, but if you would only just

216

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say you do not mean to write more than once in six
months, we would then make up our minds: remember, however, that we ought to have, by times, more
anxiety than you, as, besides yourself and Clarke, there
are other distinguished persons in the family, about
whose health and safety there is always de quoi craindre
-this by way of exordium! Have you got Morgan's
book, and my " Florence ?" Does the one edify you and
a
the other make you laugh? Iam ll curiosity to know
how it takes in Ireland-the Irish, and particularly
the Irish Catholics, owe me something, that's certain.
I have made no small sacrifices for them, being both
their champion and martyr. IDnon, the other day,
was talking of having a medal struck of my little head
here. I was thinking it would be long before my Irish
friends would suggest such a compliment, and I am,
alas! the old story of the prophet in his own counTo judge by the English papers,
try over again.
"Florence" is playing the very deuce in London.
The "Morning Chronicle" says the whole of the
first edition was bespoke before it was published, and
a second came out in five days after : this is success
with a vengeance! What a triumph after the persecution I have undergone! Those who have read it
here, think it my chef-d'ouvre: the translation is
doing admirably under the inspection of Jouy (the
Hermite de la Chaussee d'Antin). We are here every
day getting more into the world, or rather the world

LADY MORGAN.

is more getting at us.

217

The concourse of people of all

nations that assemble here, on a Wednesday evening,
is overwhelming. Everybody begs leave to bring somebody; and such a Babel! such a variety of languages
and faces, and orders and dresses! Oh! how I long
for you and Clarke; how you would both laugh! My
last " Wednesday" Talma did for me what, I believe,
he would not do for a crowned head: he recited
from " Macbeth." We had some very pretty French
singing by amateurs afterwards. The crowd, however,
was so much too great for my small apartment, that
the women only sat, the men stood outside the door,
in the anteroom, on chairs or tables.
Every one
agreed they never saw such an assemblage of beauty
in a French salon. My beauties were the Princesse de
Beauveau and her two most lovely daughters, the
Princess Jablonowski, (a Pole, whose son, Prince
Antoine, went lately to Switzerland, to claim the
domains of his friend, poor Kosciusko): she is still
uncommonly handsome; the beautiful Countess de la
Rochefoucault; Countess IHardenberg, (who with her
husband, son to the Prussian minister, Prince Hardenberg, never' misses my evenings); a Countess Lucia
Ciconara-a perfect Catalani - reckoned the finest
woman in Italy (her husband a real delight and great
friend of ours, both Venetians of high rank); a Mrs.
Colonel Wyly, a friend of Lady Aylmer's, very like
Mrs. Bushe, a London belle of the first water, going

218

DIARY OF

to Ireland, by-the-by, where her husband is on the
staff; the pretty Duchesse de Broglie, and, I flatter
myself, my handsome Irish countess, who looked as
young as her daughters, was among the most distinguished in my galaxy of beauty, and I was not a little
proud of so fair a specimen of my countrywomen.
The number of Italians that come to us is overwhelming: in short we have so many letters and
invitations for Italy, that I fancy we shall be quite
as much at home there as here. Young Ormsby
and Dalton are generally with us. The latter, who,
I believe, delivers you this, will tell you all about
us; he is a very gentlemanlike, unpretending, sensible
person. A Mr. W--die has introduced himself to us
as an acquaintance of Mr. Hamilton Rowan's, who
would have given him a letter to us. Delighted to
show any attention to a friend of Mr. Rowan's, I gave
him the entree on Wednesdays, with which he seemed
delighted, but he is a bore. Pray mention this
to Mr. Rowan as soon as you can, and ask him if
he knows such a gentleman. Only think of Lydia
White* being frequently with us: may-be she does
not dialoguer, Constant, Denon, Talma! She is still
young and fair and excellent company. Tell this to
* Wilkes (" No. 45 "), writing to a friend at Bath, observes: "If

have not seen Lydia White, you
ing in Bath." Miss White was
very witty, of great attainments,
the capitals of Europe, especially

you
have not seen what is best worth knowa lady of large fortune, very handsome,
and noted for her hospitality in most of
London.

LADY MORGAN.

219

Mrs. Kearney,* whom I beg you will go and see, as
I know she is interested for me, and will be glad
to hear you " prate of my whereabouts." We dined
the other day at the Due de Broglie's (a most princely
hotel, once poor Marichal Ney's), quite like a great
London establishment. The duke is young, handsome,
spirited, and one of the best patriots in France. We
had the best of the Liberals there. We are going to-day
to the Prince de Beauveau's, where we are to meet Lord
and Lady Leitrim. So you see we are pretty gay, and
want nothing but you, to enjoy very much. We seldom
go to the theatres; but I was at a spectacle the other
day worth all the theatres together, the Seance Royale
des Chambres, or opening of Parliament. As the royal
family took all the tickets for their own party, it was
next to impossible to get them; however, we had no
less than three at our disposal. We were obliged to
go at eight in the morning, and wait till three. I
thought I should have died of it; still I would not
have missed it for the world. I sat immediately before
the box occupied by the princesses, and, of course,
surrounded by Ultras, whose conversation amused me
not a little, and will amuse more than me one of these
days. All the peers were in their superb theatrical
dresses, all the deputies in theirs: the throne, with its
hundred steps, was all crimson velvet and gold, sur* The accomplished wife of the then Bishop of Ossory, and the patroness
of John Wilson Croker's early days.
*

220

DIARY OF

rounded by La Garde de la Manche in the costume of
Henry IV.'s day. The king was dragged up the steps,
poor man ! Lord Castlereagh was in the tribune with
the ambassadors. Not one of the French about me
knew who he was till I told them, though the English
papers said he excited a sensation. The hero of the
day was La Fayette : I never saw such a sensation as
he excited when he arose to take his oath to the
king; almost everyone arose too, and murmurs ran
round the whole audience. His calm emphatic manner of saying " Je jure," was quite affecting. I never
saw him so grand, so noble. He stood silent and conspicuous by his superior height, while the peers (all
creatures formed of Bonapartists), were throwing up
their hats and white feathers, and screaming with the
royalist ladies, Vive le Roi l as if the senate was a
The Duc de
playhouse, which, in fact, it was.
Broglie was almost the only peer that kept silent. The
deputies, too, did not join the cry. The king's speech
is deemed so despotic and fatal to the interests of
France, that the funds descended rapidly, and all the
monied men were thrown into consternation.
De Cazes has twice given in his resignation and
taken it back. The king, frightened at the ascendancy
of the liberal party, and the election of La Fayette, is
retreating back to the arms of his old friends, the
Ultras. If they get into power nothing can save
France from new convulsions: the whole nation is

LADY MORGAN.

221

against them. All is now perfectly quiet, and no
danger whatever can occur to strangers; so make
yourself easy, and, depend on it, we are too prudent to
run any risks.
Wednesday.-Here has my letter been waiting ever
since the 20th, for Dalton's departure. We had a delightful party at the Beauveaus-all my own Wednesday evening people. They all meet here to-night. I
forgot to tell you Mr. Lattin, the witty, never fails
me: yesterday he sent me a note, by an Irish boy just
caught. My Frenchman came in and told me there
was "une personne tres-extraordinare" in the anteroom,
whom he could not understand, "et dont le costume
6tait tout h fait singulier." We dined yesterday with
Miss White, and went in the evening to Madame de la
Rochefoucault's. After all the attention that is paid
us, we look forward with delight to laying our old
bones among you, and returning in a year to whip the
children and fight about the lamplight. I am going
to coax Dalton to take a box to you which every one
has refused. I was charmed to see Clarke's work
announced in the papers, and am looking out for your
play. A Mrs. NIugent introduced herself to me (sister
of Mrs. Colonel Talbot) as a friend of Mrs. Protheroe.
So I asked her here Wednesday next, and gave her
baby's Polichinelle to leave at Colburn's shop in Conduit Street; so if you get some one to call for it in
London you'll have it; but twenty to one it is seized

222

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at the Custom House. Mrs. Nugent is the only one
who would consent to take anything over. My God!
how we long to hear from you !
SYDNEY M.

Diary.-Engaged with Berthon. These sittings
for my picture rn'ont porte' bonheur, as they keep
me at home for two or three days in the week, and
I relieve the monotony of sitting from three till
five by letting in everybody who comes. To this I
owe many gracious receptions ;-to-day, for instance,
Auguste Thierry and Ary-Scheffer sent up their
cards, and were of course admitted with acclamation.* I met with these two gifted young men at
La Grange, since when we have opened a mutual
account of goodwill and intimacy: they have both
started fair for posterity, and I am quite sure will
reach their goal amid the acclamations of their own
* 1858. Whilst I am looking through this old record of my prophecy
and my hopes respecting these young men, the following announcement
of the death of one has reached me (Ary-Scheffer); Thierry had gone
before. Both had fulfilled the promise of their youthful prime :"The death of M. Ary-Scheffer deprives France not only of a great
artist but of a great example. Of his career and works as a painter it may
here suffice to say that in these, as well as in his personal life and
character, the same nobleness of soul, the same elevation of thought, the
same single-mindedness, the same true-heartedness, were always present,
and always felt. But of his technical merits and deficiencies as an artist
there may be as many opinions as critics: of his life and character there
can be but one; and this is not the time in which we can suffer such a
man to pass away without a word of sorrowing respect."

LADY MORGAN.

223

contemporaries. When the two artists had discussed
the merits of the portrait, which Scheffer observed
was better than his own, which Berthon begged permission to see, the conversation turned entirely on
politics--both Liberals in the extreme, and Thierry, by
his great historical acquirements, well suited to the
task which I see he has begun. I had difficulty, from
the freedom with which they spoke, in believing we
were not living under the protection of a constitutional
government, or that I, a few months before, had been
a pauvre proscrite !

Paris, Monday 29th.

THE Duchess of Devonshire returns Lady Morgan the first volume of "Florence Macarthy," knowing how anxiously it is expected, and returns her
many thanks for the second volume, which she wished
very much for. If it is possible, the duchess will call
upon Lady Morgan on Wednesday, but she has
already two engagements with Madame Recamier
for that evening. The duchess hopes to see Lady
Morgan again before she leaves Paris.

224

DIARY OF
From M. Talma to Lady Morgan.
Tuesday morning.

HERE is indeed, my lady, an unlucky obstacle,
which deprives me of the advantage of passing the
evening with you, to-morrow ! I am obliged to go
to Versailles to play "Hamlet," and I cannot possibly
put off this representation to another day. I am
much vexed at this disappointment, which I sincerely
regret. I shall have the honour of seeing you on the
Wednesday after, if that should accord with your
I beg you, my lady, to accept the
arrangements.
homage of my profound respect.
TALMA.

From M. Jouy to Lady Morgan.
Tuesday morning.

I HAVE the honour to salute Lady Morgan, and
to send her the short note of reply I have received
from Talma. I cannot say, whether, in his present
state of mind, we can reckon him for the soire'e.
Perhaps it would be desirable in her ladyship to
write a line to him, putting off the party to the
following week. I beg to offer my respectful salutations.
JouY.

LADY MORGAN.

225

Note from Talma, enclosed in the foregoing.
MY DEAR FRIEND,

I WILL do all in my power to wait on Lady
Morgan, on Wednesday next. But my affairs are
empires since yesterday. The company are behaving
shamefully. I sent for some dresses to my room, and
they objected to anything being taken out. Heaven
knows what I may have to do on Wednesday, or
whether my head will be in its right place.
Ever yours,
TALMA.

From Baron Gerard * to Lady Morgan.
Paris, Monday.

I HASTEN to acquaint Lady Morgan that it is
on Thursday we shall have the honour of receiving
her and Sir Charles. I beg her ladyship to accept
the expression of high esteem with which I have the
honour to be her obedient servant,
F.

GERARD.

* Painter Laureate of the Empire under Napoleon I. The best portrait
painter France had at that time.
The story attached to his well-known plafond in the Salle des Mardchaux, in the centre of which was a splendid portrait of Napoleon, is well
known, but I repeat it here.
"When Louis XVIII. arrived at his palace, he was struck with this
plafond, and ordered workmen to be sent for to tear it down. The fatal
message was transmitted to Gerard, who flew to the Tuileries, and threw
himself at the king's feet, entreating that his chef-d'oeuvre should not be
destroyed, but returned to him, when he would remove the centre portrait
and replace it by something less offensive.
The request was granted on
these terms, and the portrait of Napoleon was afterwards replaced by a

226

DIARY OF

Diary.--Thursday.-Our dramatic soiree of Sylla
went off, after all delays, with great e'clat-honour
to the author, and admiration to Talma and Duchenois. The play is full of action, and I think
more modelled on Corneille than Racine. The reason of its proscription by the government was the
parallel they feared might be drawn between Sylla the
Dictator, and Bonaparte the Emperor. The r6le of
Sylla has evidently been indicated more by Montesquieu's admirable character of him than Plutarch's imperfect sketch. The resemblance between the two
brilliant usurpers and destroyers of the liberties of a
great people was finely brought out, and almost
excused the apprehensions of the feeble and suspicious
Bourbons. Sylla, like Napoleon, was severe and
sombre in the exercise of his power, but frank and
communicative in private life; he despised the priests,
and yet he was superstitious; he always believed he
was protected by a demon, who watched over his
fortunes, and he took the name of Faustus, or "the
happy," which he transmitted to his son, who less
merited it. Proud, yet familiar, he terrified by a
frown, and seduced by a smile. His eloquence was
beautiful picture of his tomb at St. Helena, by moonlight. The four
admirably-drawn figures, which are allegorical, have never been surpassed
in their genre. Fine engravings, from all the works here mentioned, are
well known to the public, and consecrate my little den in the Banlieu of
Belgravia and were presented to me by the Baron Gerard himself." The
portrait of Napoleon removed from the plafond was afterwards obtained by
the Duke of Wellington, and is now at Apsley House.

LADY MORGAN.

227

sharpened by a happy abruptness, which had great
effect; his longest speeches were but a few epigrammatic sentences. One private trait in both was remarkable; Roscius was the bosom friend of Sylla, and
Talma was the secret friend of Bonaparte; and both
actors deserved the distinction. But the sting of the
play lay not in this parallelism, but in the contrast it
drew between the brilliant despotism of genius and
the dull tyranny of legitimate mediocrity. The small
space allotted to Talma and Duchenois in my salon
for giving a scene from this grand tragedy, of course
deprived them of all the advantages which scenic representation gives; but still the recitations of Talma,
and his occasional action, maintained the illusion. He
was magnificent in the last scene, where Sylla throws
from his brow the symbol of his dictatorship, and,
turning to the Lictors, exclaims to the people:
"Je depose la pourpre . . . 1loignez-vous, licteurs,
Me voila disarmd ! je vous livre na vie,
Aux complots, aux poignards j'oppose le genie.
Vainqueur de Marius, je l'avais surpassd,
Et j'ai conquis le rang oi je me suis placd.
Romains, je romps les nceuds de votre obdissance,
Mais sur vos souvenirs j'ai garde ma puissance,
Et cette dictature a 1'autre survivra;
Priv4 de mes faisceaux je suis toujours Sylla."

The effect was tremendous; and on the stage, in
the then excitable reactionary state of the people, it
would have been enough to produce a counter revolution.
Q2

228

DIARY OF

Mademoiselle Duchenois, as Valerie, was charming,
and her declamation of the last scene, where she says
to Sylla" De crimes, de vertus, effrayant assemblage,
Tu subjugues ma haine et brises mon courage;
J'admire et je fremis-honteuse des bienfaits
Que doit payer trop cher l'oubli de tes forfaits,"

justifies the boast in her grand speech"S'il n'est plus des Romains, ii reste de Romaines."

After the company dispersed, Talma and Jouy remained, begging a cup of green tea, with a petite goutte
de cognac in it.
We talked of the successes of the evening, particularly of the delight of the English portion of the
audience. Talma said, "It is curious that my first
success in acting was in London, in a theatre which
was supported by subscriptions for French plays, in
Tottenham Court Road; but the nationality of John
Bull rose against it, and after the first night it was
all but pulled down. My father, at this time, was a
flourishing dentist in London, the rival of Dumergue,
and hoped to see me his successor'But I had

tasted blood,'

The
and I could not return to ignoble pursuits.
applause on the night of my debut decided my fortunes.
" The admirers of French plays were not to be

LADY MORGAN.

229

bullied out of their amusement; every fashionable
salon in London was opened for French theatricals.
I was asked to become the entrepreneur, and I became
the cocluchon of all the fashionable dowagers, at the
head of whom was the Countess of Cork. After a
season of this amateur performance I started for
Paris, and entered steadily on the profession, and
enfin me voici !"
" Yes," said I, "Lady Charleville, in one of her
letters to me, alluded 'to the passion of Lady Cork
As it was
for Talma' in a very humorous way."
now very late, and Talma had to appear at rehearsal
early for N6ron, in " Britannicus," he and Jouy rose to
go; Talma prophesying that the time would come
when "Sylla" would be performed at Le Frangais
with all the success it deserved.*
Diary, 1818.-Denon was uncommonly amusing
this evening; he dropped in and found us looking
over an edition of Voltaire, which Sir Charles had
bought in the morning. "Here is a fine line," said
Denon, pointing to it with his finger, as to the superior genius of the reign of Louis XIV., which Voltaire
calls "Le siecle des grands talents plutot que des
"Yes," said Morgan, "science
grandes lumieres."
and Cocker had not yet awakened in France." Denon
* Sylla became afterwards one of Talma's most popular parts, and is
celebrated as such by Henri Beyle (de Steindhal), in his correspondence,
lately edited by M. Merime.

230

DIARY OF

said, " I think it was in the year 1776 that I obeyed
an invitation to give Voltaire rendezvous at the little
Swiss town of Annecy. I found him full of spirits
and gaiety, though it was eleven o'clock, his usual
hour of retiring ; but in spite of all Madame Denis, his
niece, could say to get him to bed at one in the morning, he replied, "Non, non, ma chere; qu'est-ce que
cela fait si je m'amuse ?" The church bell of Annecy
continuing to ring Christmas morning incessantly, and
the fusils of the peasantry firing in every direction, interrupted and annoyed Voltaire. He grew petulant
and impatient, exclaiming from time to time, " Oui,
oui; venir au monde pour cela-pour tre adordcomme cela-et oi ? ~t Ann6cy, pardi !*

The celebrated Dr. Portail came in to pay Sir
Charles a visit: he entered into the subject of our
conversation. " By-the-by," said Denon, "mon cher
docteur, when Voltaire paid his last visit to the
Academy, 1778, we were very young fellows then
(vous savez que j'6tais tris-joli gargon !), he was
passing by when somebody told him who you were."
He replied, "Comment, celui qui a si bien consult6 les
morts pour conserver les vivants !"
* The coarse infidelity ascribed to Voltaire by all who never read him
is utterly false. The expression so often cited against him, "Ecrasez
l'infame," was one aimed, not at Christianity, but at the system the
Jesuits were then trying to re-establish, after having been driven out of
every kingdom in Europe. Dumont, speaking of Voltaire, observes:
"He and Locke were the first who ever preached toleration." Voltaire
held no theology, but he was the only man in Christian Europe who raised
a church and dedicated it to God.

LADY MORGAN.

231

It was curious enough when we paid Denon a visit
at eleven o'clock at night, a few days afterwards, from
a dinner-party in the Faubourg, being anxious about
him as he had been confined to his bed by illness, we
found him alone, studying antiquities, by a solitary
lamp, in his beautiful Egyptian chamber; a parcel
of medals of the 14th century lying before him, on
which subject.he gave us some most delightful details.
He told us he was Voltaire's age at the period of the
former anecdote, viz. 76. I never saw him more
brilliant or more entertaining. "They told me today," said he, "that I had been in great danger;
mais la mort ne m'est jamais venu dans l'esprit."
Diary.-Iwas sitting, as usual, for my picture, Morgan reading, a solemn silence prevailing, when Dr.
Montegre was announced.
The two doctors forthwith fell to discourse, Montegre having expressed his admiration of the picture.
"Yes," said Morgan; "but she ought not to sit
to-day; she is looking the picture of dyspepsia, after
Mrs. Solly's ball and supper last night."
"A very intellectual malady," said Mont6gre ; "the
heritage of genius !"
"I think quite the contrary," said Morgan, doggedly. "I think it is dyspepsia that is the cause of
genius, not genius of dyspepsia. The healthiest subjects are always the dullest."

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"Par exemple," said Berthon, raising at once his
eyes and his mahl-stick:
" Est-il profond, Sir
Charles ?"

"Oui; en paradoxes," said I.
" Genius," continued Morgan, "is like the pearl in
the oyster, which you will allow, Montegre, is the
disease of the fish."
"A la bonne heure, as far as the oyster goes," said
Montegre.
"In man," said Morgan, "genius is the result of a
morbid determination to the head."
"An original suggestion," said Montegre.
"Je crois bien !" said Berthon.
"Not so original," said Morgan. " I am not sure I
did not borrow the idea from Dr. Jenner, with whom
I had the honour of conversing frequently when I was
at Cambridge, in consequence of having written a
pamphlet in defence of his vaccine doctrine at a time
when ignorance, prejudice, and professional envy were
doing their worst to check the great blessing he had
conferred on mankind by his discovery, just as they
nearly worried Lady Mary Wortley Montague to
death about inoculation."
I slid in my old Irish story of the man sinking in
the Liffey, crying, "I will be drowned and nobody shall
save me !"
And then Morgan threw a dab of Latin at Montegre,
which upset my talk for the rest of the seance.

LADY MORGAN.

233

"Well," said Montegre, "we shall know it all byand-by. Nature is always progressing."
"I don't think so," said contradictory Morgan;
" that is, I ought not to think so; it is not orthodox,
and I mean to be orthodox for the rest of my life."
"It is a curious fact," said Montegre, "that few
people of genius die of apoplexy or die young."
"Why, yes," said Morgan; "there was Voltaire
all alive at eighty, and making mots on his deathbed
a few nights after bringing out his 'Irene.'
Fontenelle, still older, making terms with his epicure friend,
who was to dine with him, an octogenaire like
himself, not to have white sauce with his asparagus.
The argument put his friend in a passion, who dropped
dead of apoplexy; and on hearing of it, Fontenelle
cried out to his cook, ' Point de sauce blanche!'"
"Your illustration is something a l'antique, Morgan,
but we will give you the benefit of it," said I.
"There is Madame de Genlis," continued Montegre, "approaching her eightieth year, full of verve,
and announcing her ' Mmoires de Dangeau,' and
giving her last coup de plume to her saintly romance
in honour of the Bourbons,' Les Battuicas,' aflagonnerie
to recover her pension given her by Napoleon and
withdrawn by her friends the Bourbons. She is now
collecting materials for her 'M6moires.' She is not
pleased with your 'France,' Lady Morgan; she says
you have 'committed her.' "

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" Why, I praised her warmly," said I.
"But that might be her 'committal' in the eyes of
the Bourbons when you were still under the ban of
the Restoration."
The conversation was interrupted by the entrance
of Lady Aldborough, the wit and beauty of former
days in Ireland. It was her first visit to me in Paris.
Her manners were cold and reserved, and she looked
suspiciously around her. When we touched on
politics, she said, languidly, "I never meddle with
politics, and I live here with the Chateau" (the name
taken by the Ultras tout pur), "who are all my old
friends."
" By-the-by," said I, " he old Duchesse de Coigny
has made a mot worthy of your ladyship. On hearing
the soubriquet the Ultras had taken, she said,' Le
Chateau reste, mais les esprits n'y reviennent plus.'"
"I beg to decline the adoption," said she, pettishly,
"and I hope you will not lay it at my door." She
then rose and took her formal departure.
To reconduire les dames ou les vieilles is an item in
French gallantry always observed, but having accepted Sir Charles's arm she dismissed him at the
door of the antechamber.
" Is this," said he, returning, " the frolicsome Lady
Aldborough of Merrion Square, the kind and courteous
hostess of the Clarendon Hotel ? Oh, these girouettes !"

LADY MORGAN.

235

Lady Morgan to Lady Clarke.
Christmas day, 1818, 7 o'clock

MERRY Christmas ! and a thousand of them, if it

were possible. I trust this is the last we shall spend
asunder. We have just drunk all your healths in a
bumper of vin de chablais, and wish we could inclose
you a hogshead of it. I have not a doubt but you all
drank little mamma's health and birthday, who wishes
she was in the midst of you, and longs to hail the
young Sir Arthur. As all the shops are open today, I went out to see what I could buy to put in
the little workbox, and picked up a pair of Russian
hands
gloves for pretty Miss Baby, to keep her little
warm. Dalton does not go for a day or two: meantime I keep my letter open, to get news till the
last ; a letter of a few lines once every two months
does not deserve this. The weather here is intensely
cold: our wood fire scarcely suffices to keep up the
radical heat. As we were sitting with our feet on the
fender before dinner to-day, the Duchess of Devonshire called, and sat with us some time. The news
' she brought in was that De Cazes was dismissed. He
was the only tie between the king and the people,
particularly the moneyed interests. Then came in
the Sardinian minister, with two other Italians, and
Benjamin Constant ; and we sat talking politics over
the fire till past six, so that we have only just dined,

which we now do at home, as there is a good

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restaurantin the house. Constant brought us two
tickets for the Athenee, where to-morrow he is to pro.
nounce an oration on Sir S. Romilly. All that is
most interesting in Paris is to be present.
The ministry, it is thought, will be ultra. The cause
in dispute was the law of election. The object is to
put down freedom of election, in consequence of La
Fayette's coming in; in a word, the establishment of
despotism. Lord Castlereagh did not come here for
nothing. All is commotion. We were at a concert
at a great commerqant (merchant) last night, where the
news excited great emotion. How it will all end,
God knows! Depend, however, upon our safety, as
the storm, if it comes on at all, is remote. Morgan
wants sadly to write in this, but I won't let him, so he
is writing all the news to Judge Fletcher. How do
they like "Florence ?" I have just had a letter from
Lady Charleville, six pages in praise of Morgan's work
and "Miss Florence." Very cheering, as I depend
more on her judgment than on that of any woman
living. What is said of Morgan's book in Dublin ?
Has Counsellor Williams written a book against it
yet ? If you show my letter to any one scratch out
all that ought not to be seen. Will you never write?
Sunday.-No letter yet, and Dalton does not go
till Monday. There is still here a great deal of poliWe went from Constant's salon to
tical emotion.

LADY MORGAN.

237

the Princess Jablonowski's, where there were a
number of persons, and nothing thought of but
politics. The news of the night was, that the Duc
de Richelieu wants to bring into the ministry a little
of all the parties; and that as the Ultras won't
coalesce with the Constitutionals, nor they with the
Ultras, there is absolutely no ministry at this moment.
The king sees De Cazes five times a day, though he is
out, and is himself heartily sick of inquiring. Lord
Castlereagh's visit here has given rise to all this: it is
by his advice. The king endeavours to strengthen
himself against the Liberals even by throwing himself
into the arms of the ferocious Ultras, whose political
and religious fanaticism have set the provinces in a
blaze. Colonel Favier, who is now standing his trial
for discovering their atrocities, was with us on Wednesday evening, and excited much sensation. These
Italians are almost all singularly handsome, elegant,
and well informed. Last night the Duc de Richelieu
going into his house fell and hurt himself dangerously ;
people say it will be deemed ominous.
S. M.
To Lady Clarke.
Paris, Tuesday 29th, 1818.

MY DEAR LOVE,

I GIVE you one word more.
No letter yet
arrived from you. The public news is at a stand.
The old ministers cannot go out because no one will

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take their place. Even Cuvier, the naturalist, whom
the French call plat et souple, has refused being
Minister of the Interior.
The king cries all day
long. The other day he had De Cazes and Richelieu,
the two rival ministers, with him, but could not get
them to pull together.
He said, at parting with
them, "Mon cher De Cazes, je vous aime: Mons.
le Duc, je vous estime."
The Duchess of Devonshire comes to me to-morrow
night, and some Russian princess, whose name I can
neither pronounce nor spell, but sounds something
like Kowrikans. We dine on Tuesday next at Mr.
Lattin's. Morgan has one of his bad colds, and I
am grown quite thin for want of sleep. I cannot
discover the cause, but my rest has quite abandoned
me. I am beginning to think 'tis the strong coffee.
The weather is intensely cold, but clear and bright.
The poverty of the lower classes excessive, and all
commerce at a stand-still for the present. Not the
slightest commotion, however, expected, and all safe
and secure for the present. I had a sort of little
triumph at the Athenee the other night when I
went to hear Constant's oration on Sir S. Romilly.
I came in late, and every place was occupied. The
Princess Jablonowski, who sat in the front, said,
pretty loud, who I was.
Every one got up; a
clearance was made in a moment; every one offered
me their seat; and a chair was at last placed for me

LADY MORGAN.

239

near the princess, who enjoyed all this amazingly.
So she took us home with her, and we remained with
her till midnight. Once more, God bless you all!
Morgan begs a word from Clarke on the state of
medical affairs, and a bit of Irish politics. He has
effected a great cure here of a bilious woman who was
at her extremity. What coloured eyes and hair has
the young dandy ?
Does the puppet-show
Love to the Macarthys.
go on?
S. M.
As usual, in haste.

Wednesday, one in the morning.
MY DEAR CLARKE,

I SENT off a large packet for Livy this day by
Mr. Dalton; but as I am just returned from the Duc
de la Rochefoucault's with a budget of fresh news, I
send you my last bulletin. The ultra-royalists are
quite put down. De Cazes is reinstated, and with him
a constitutional and liberal ministry, at least comparatively. By this unexpected measure, France, it is
thought, is saved from great commotions, and things
will now go on better than they have yet. I send
you word of this to relieve you and Livy from any
uneasiness you might have on our account. Just as I
sealed my last of this day and sent it, arrived a letter
from Colburn, with the good and most extraordinary

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news of the third edition of "Florence" being out,
and the certainty, he says, that a fourth will soon be
called for. Morgan's work, he says, is thought a
miracle of learning and talent, and going off famously.
I never saw a man better pleased with his bargain
than old Colburn. He says he has a packet of letters
for us, which he will send by the diligence directly.
I comfort myself that there is one from you all for
me, for I am sick of expecting. So, good-night, dear,
dear loves all; God bless you a thousand times!
S. MORGAN.

Diary, Dec. 30th.-Here is a letter that gives me
the sincerest pleasure. It is from the eminent philosopher and celebrated physician, Lacroix, to my
dear husband, on reading the pleading of the "Christian Advocate," of the University of Cambridge,
against his book, "The Philosophy of Life." This
paltry persecution on the part of the Rev. Mr. Reynolds, who enjoyed a large salary from the University
of Cambridge for his espionage in the cause of the
Church, has had the good effect of drawing forth
from some of the most eminent men in Europe testimonies of their admiration and esteem for the author
of the work, of which the Comte de Tracy said, "C'est
un livre qui devance son siecle."

LADY MORGAN.

241

From M. Lacroix (the greatpsychologist and physician of his time) to
Sir Charles Morgan.
Monday morning, November, 1818.

SIR,
I HAVE run through, as much as my occupations
have 'permitted me, the defence of the "Christian
Advocate " of the University of Cambridge. I have
found nothing in it but the utmost commonplaces,
repeated a hundred times over with a refuted tone. I
do not think such a weak criticism can do anything but
excite a desire to see your excellent work on the part
of those who are yet unacquainted with it. Besides
which, you will readily perceive that they have placed
you in good company; as far as I am able to judge, at
least, by the name of Bichat, who enjoys a just
celebrity in our country, even with those who have
but very superficial notions of the science which he
has brought to perfection.
The "Christian Advocate," and those who pay for
and support it, are the miserable remains of a party
which struggles before expiring. It is to be hoped
that knowledge is too much expanded to be stifled by
such prejudices. Vain clamours ought only to stimulate still more the friends of reason to set forward the
principles they acknowledge, and the conclusions they
approve, so as to take possession of the wavering
minds which superstition endeavours to control. Your
work is calculated to do much to dissipate useless
terrors, and to lead back to truths, which, whatever
R

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may be said, is invariably the source of good. Pursue,
therefore, your course, without bestowing another
thought on the "Christian Advocate" and its partisans. Present, I pray you, our respectful compliments
to Lady Morgan, and accept the salutations I have
the honour to offer you.
LACROIX.

Letter from the Countess of Charleville to Lady Morgan.

TWENTY times I have intended the day should
not pass, dear Lady Morgan, without telling you the
delight I have found in your perfect delineation of
the genuine Irish character. Had you never written
a line but O'Leary's and the Rabragh's personifications, it were enough to stamp you the best painter
of your day;-the person whose touches, true to
nature, go straight to the heart. It may seem presumptuous in me, who can neither speak nor write, to
seem to decide; but I have felt, I have observed, and
had opportunity to follow my poor countrymen
through all the changes of the last eventful thirty
years. I, too, had a fosterer and a nurse! Their
conduct to me-which I will tell you one day, because
you can appreciate it-may serve to show I know
how to value and understand your invaluable O'Leary.
I think the Crawley family incomparable; but I would
not have had the father the more prominent character
perche. "Florence " is a lovely creature, body and

LADY MORGAN.

243

soul; and the second edition-already out, I hearshows how well she is liked in this great town. This
must satisfy you, and confound your enemies, if any
you have; but I tremble for her French costume,
because I think the best part of the book-the highly
I wished to have
original part - untranslatable.
delayed telling you all this until I had ended reading
"The Philosophy of Life ;" but your letters this day
arrived - of the 24th November - and their kind
enclosures compel me to write;. for I would not seem
insensible to so much goodness, or delay to thank Sir
Charles Morgan for the improvement and pleasure he
intended me. I am, alas! quite unworthy of the
favour he has done me. I have tried hard to be otherwise, but the want of preparatory knowledge is not to
be overcome ; and though I have read, and thought I
understood, Buffon's great and magnificent Chapitre
sur l'Homme, yet here the detail and quantity of
physical knowledge overwhelms me, and I feel myself
thoroughly incapable to offer him any praise beyond a
sense of the beauty and clearness of the style, and of
the extraordinary merit which, even my ignorance
is struck by, of his chapter concerning "the Combination of the Organs," and "The Inadequacy of
Language to convey precise ideas," &c., and many
other observations which I must not quote to you,
who, questionless, are better aware than myself of the
general merit of the whole. I will only, therefore,
R2

244

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speak of my real sensibility of Sir Charles's kind
politeness; but I must not assume information to
entitle me to it, because I have it not. Tell him,
with Louisa's* best thanks, she fancies he was not
aware how you quizzed the unlucky Senora, or he
would not have led her on to give you food for
your delectable classification of the guitarerie: but
either of those sweet airs he has copied were well
worth a joke ! So laugh on ; et "Dieu sqait la raclerie"
that we shall go on with en attendant!
You are sanguine; but you are too near the scene
to be unbiassed in your judgment, I think; yet mark
down the characters that must decide the fate of
liberty in France; and in your closet, away from the
charme entrainante of party enthusiasm, I think one
must see little hope of constitutional freedom winning
from the contentions of the thrice-contemptible Ultras,
the dregs of the bloody Mountain, the scoundrel
Talleyrand, or a king who, for any dignity this world
could offer, would receive Fouch6's help and compunction. To oppose these, what have they ? A
corrupt, disorganised, uneducated mass of ardentminded guard-room youths, with a few-and but few
-people who, like your favourite, La Fayette, have
always loved liberty-rational and constitutional for
itself alone, and have, alas! lived to see that all
* Lady Charleville's only daughter, Mrs. Marly, and the mother of the
late beautiful and most lamented Lady John Manners.

LADY MORGAN.

245

moderate men like himself will be sacrificed to the
violence and personal interests of those who will go
greater lengths than' themselves. This seems to me
the constituents of the great public scene in France,
from which I infer no happy conclusion ; but should a
better sun dispel these horrid glooms which, I think,
now bespread its horizon, what a delightful feeling it
will give me, who love her with all her faults !
I think Madame de Stael spoke to me of her son's
talents being inclined rather to the exact sciences than
to literature; but he seemed pleasing and good; and
yet I think, with you, the aureole of the mother's
fame too strong a light for his slighter figure. If she
had not condescended to flatter the great, I think she
had been immortal; but this lets her down. And yet I
recollect Louis XVIII. telling me, at Bath, "Madame,
cette fille de Necker m'a coudoy6 ce matin" (these
were his words), when he was unkinged; therefore,
he certainly was not treated then with the respect
due to fallen majesty; and yet, on the throne, he is
praised. Now I do feel this is not the march of a
strong and great mind, &c., &c.
Farewell! I forget when I am writing
much better you can employ your time than
reminiscences, as Miss Berry says. Do not
in my kindest wishes, and believe me, dear

to you how
reading my
fail to trust
Madam,

Truly yours,
C. M. CHARLEVILLE.

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Diary.--A delightful morning, owing to two pleasing visitors, the Count de Lanjuinais, pair de France,
and one of the first writers of the day, and, by a curious
coincidence, M. du Bignon, d6put6 du department de
1'Eure, who has made a popular speech on universal
finance and the administrative situation of France.
Baudoisin, his publisher, had sent to us, by Lanjuinais'
desire, his brochure on the "Depenses et des recettes de
l'6tat et du credit public pour l'an 1818." We had
read it, and so were up to the mark. Morgan and the
two staticists fell to discourse immediately. I could
not follow them, pauvre chetive that I am, though I
enjoyed seeing my dear Morgan take such a distinguished part in the deep discussion, and in such
French as justified Denon's observation-" Notre cher
chevalier a toute le luxe de la langue; il ne lui manque
que le necessaire." When he speaks physics or metaphysics, science or literature, he goes upon velvet;
but rather roughs it in common parlance. All this
time I was sitting for my picture to good, naive little
B6rthon, and who kept muttering all the time, "Que
de grandes t ees! regardez-moi, Madame! quelles
belles discussions! mais tenez-vous donc, Madame !"
Just as Lanjuinais and Bignon left us Denon entered,
who surveillis B6rthon's portrait with great interest,
and comes every day that I sit. I reproached him with
the frights he has drawn and lithographed of me himself. It is curious that the first virtuoso in Europe

LADY MORGAN.

247

should be insensible to resemblances. He is for ever
making sketches of the beautiful Mrs. Cadogan: such
caricatures ! Morgan, in talking over the conversation
of our late visitors, said, " My dear Dnon confesses
that such discussions could never have taken place in
the reign of the emperor. If the liberty of the press is
curbed, the liberty of the tongue is taken to a wonderful degree, and I am not certain that its propagandism
is not the stronger of the two. As long as such heads
and such men as these exist in France, let the Bourbons
look to it. Their days are numbered." D6non cordially
agreed, and so we broke up the conference, and went to
dine together by appointment at Madame d'Houchien's, the epitome of a Frenchwoman de bonne pdte
of all times. After dinner, D6non took us to the
Princess Jablonowski's, where we had been long due.
She introduced us to General Rapp, to whom she was
talking when we entered. We fell to discourse at
once, and the general, with his franchise militaire, for
which he is so celebrated, attacked me at once on some
mistake I had made in my "France" relative to his
conversation with the emperor. He said he would
call and correct it next day. It is the anecdote
about his putting the emperor on his guard against a
rogue-" Enfin, sire, c'est un Corse."

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Diary.--As my portrait is now removed to Berthon's atelier, and nearly finished, I went to give a
last sitting. Lady Leitrim had the great kindness to
take me there, and to remain whilst I sat. She is a
fine artist herself, and I wished for her opinion of
Berthon's work by daylight. She mentioned what I
was not aware of, that Lord and Lady Charlemont
and their children, Lord Clements and his two sisters,
had passed through Paris on their way to Italy. It
is a pleasant event to have the certainty of meeting
with those abroad whom we respect and admire at
home. They will do credit to their country. It is
impossible not to feel proud of the impression they
will make; her unsurpassed beauty will, I think,
delight the Italians, it is so purely classic. It would
be wasted on the French, who acknowledge no beauty
out of a cachemere shawl or a jolie tournure. Lord
Byron used to rave about her in London, and, I am
told, has written some beautiful lines to celebrate it.*
What a strange disorderly place is an artist's
atelier, and what strange stories it might tell if walls
could talk!
* I don't know whether these are the lines, but they are to the same

lady"There was an Irish lady, to whose bust
I ne'er saw justice done; and if she must
Yield to stern time, and nature's wrinkling laws,
They will destroy a form which mortal thought
Ne'er compassed, nor less mortal chisel wrought."

LADY MORGAN.

249

Diary.-We were writing letters this morning at
the rate of ten miles an hour, when a card was brought
in with the time-honoured name of Lacroix. Morgan
blushed up to the eyes, as if it were a billet-doux from
his mistress. He had just time to whisper to me "the
greatest mathematician of Europe," when the celebrity
entered: a grave-looking elderly gentleman, most
gracious in his manner. He entered at once into
conversation with Morgan, on subjects that threw
me out, but to which I listened with reverence. The
conversation turned on his calculation of probabilities
and his mathematical geography. Fortunately for me,
one of the most perfect of petites mattresses in Paris
tortille'd in (there's a word!) to take me by appointment to Herbault, to buy a chapeau a plumes for
the evening; and so, without interrupting the sage
grave men, we sidled off. What a contrast between
the heads I left and the pretty head that carried me
away ! Nature was answerable for both; it would be
impossible to conceive Madame working a problem in
Euclid, or Lacroix organising a chapeau a plumes for
the evening. On our way I said to her, "Why do
you always go to Herbault ?"
She replied, with a pretty dogmatism, "Ma chore,
c'est le seul homme de l'Europe pour poser une
plume."

DIARY OF

250

From Signor Micali (the learned Italian historian, author of "Italy before
the Romans,") to Lady Morgan.
November 9th.

DEPRIVED of the honour of seeing Lady Morgan
by an indisposition which has confined me to my room
for several days, I call'myself to her amiable remembrance, and take the liberty of sending her a little
work, which I trust she will find acceptable, from the
enlightened regard she bears to the fine arts.
I have the honour to remain
Her very humble servant,
JOSEPH MIcALI.

From Baron Dinon to Lady Morgan.
SFRIEND

November 11th, 1818.

DEAR FRIEND,

HERE is your charter, which associates you with
a certain Count de Kerven Huller, formerly Ambassador to the Grand Seigneur, endued with an admirable
talent for conversation. He will, perhaps, think it
strange that I should leave him to go to you, who, I
know, he has such an anxious desire to become
acquainted with. If he is not engaged, allow me to
bring him to your house. You will find him good
company, in the fullest extent of the term. Adieu,
dear friend, until presently.
DNON.

LADY MORGAN.

251

From General La Fayette to Lady Morgan.
La Grange, November 9th.

I SCARCELY appeared in Paris, and your change
of residence prevented me, my dear lady, from calling
to see you. Nothing has reached you from me but an
incoherent note. I do not wish to introduce these
unfavourable appearances, and I add here a letter I
have just received. I was the more hurried in my
return home, as Madame de l'Aubuisson, sister of my
daughter-in-law, is expected in Paris. The death of
Sir Samuel Romilly has sincerely afflicted me. He is
as much regretted by our French patriots as by his
fellow-citizens. By the end of the month I shall have
the pleasure of seeing you again, my dear friends. All
the inmates of La Grange unite with me in offering
you the expression of their attachment.
LA FAYETTE.

From Carbonel (the celebrated composer) to Sir Charles Morgan.
Monday morning, December 14th.

CARBONEL has the honour to acquaint Sir Charles
Morgan that he cannot possibly have the pleasure of
passing the evening of next Wednesday at his house,
as he hoped to have done, being obliged to command
the guard for twenty-four hours at the Porte St.
Martin, beginning from noon on that day.
Carbonel earnestly hopes to compensate himself on
the Wednesday following, and in anticipation of that

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pleasure he begs Sir Charles to accept his respectful
compliments, and to communicate the same to Lady
Morgan.

From Lady Charleville to Lady Morgan.
London, January 1, 1819.

ALTHOUGH you must be much better occupied
than in reading my letters, I cannot deny myself the
pleasure of wishing you, my dear lady, a happy new
year ! I know you are overwhelmed to-day with
pretty nothings, therefore the silence of one who is
really interested in your welfare and yourself would be
strange indeed. In the midst of a fog, with the
candles lighted at two o'clock in the day, you will
accept the expression of the true friendship and sincere sentiments I offer you, although they are not
accompanied by a single spark of physical or moral
light.
May you continue to enjoy health, and the blessing
of a happy home, and, in addition, all the advantages
which your talents can command! I have at length
finished the perusal of Sir Charles's work. I shall read
it again, and shall feel satisfied if I am then able to
appreciate its merit. I find it singularly well written,
and profound in its object. I am grieved, however, to
perceive that it leans towards opinions which wise
philosophers, such as Newton, Locke, and Kirwan,
have pronounced baseless: but I know that others

LADY MORGAN.

253

think with Sir Charles, and I feel that he is to be
pitied, but not blamed, if his study of physics has
led him to conclusions contrary to that delightful
hope in which souls who firmly believe themselves to
be immortal and independent, find their consolation, or
at least their only hope, when the sad realities of life
deprive them of enjoyment here below.
I feel that desiring a certain thing to be is no sound
reason for proving its actual reality; but it never has
been, and never can be, demonstrated that the soul has
Thus, of the two uncertainties, that
no existence.
which elevates and consoles me is the one I adopt.
This is my logic. In other respects I admire, with
all my faculties, the depth of learning and study developed in this work. I have the greatest possible
respect for the author, and perhaps both you and he
will smile when I tell you that I have addressed with
a loud voice, and from the bottom of my heart, a
prayer to God that he will deign to add to so much
knowledge and talent a ray of that divine light which
will stamp them with the seal of immortality. Do not
think I am either a dotard or an enthusiast; but be
assured that I love you both, and I earnestly wish you
could partake the happiness which my way of thought
bestows on me in the midst of the storms, and through
the trials of a suffering life.
It gives me real pleasure to believe that the Ultras
are crushed. If Mons. de Cazes has lofty views, and

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the king is sincere, all will go well. But these two
are weighty questions. As to M. de Talleyrand, I
never could trust him. Here they pretend that the
proof of his being a great man is that he still maintains his ground in the midst of so many changes.
The cat always falls on its feet, &c. I see in him
more cleverness than true merit,, and I have no love
for treason or traitors. I beg of you never to name
me- in your circles, but for the friendship I bear you.
I know nothing that can give me the slightest pretenI have seen and felt
sions to judge of anything.
much, and for those reasons I have a right to be
believed when I assure you of my sincere good wishes.
The beautiful Lady Crewe is dead: she had mind and
heart, and indeed some fine remains of a race that has
passed away.
C. M. CHARLEVILLE.
Diary, Jan. 1819.-I have just had a visit from
Dnon. I told him that I wanted to go under his
auspices to revisit that glorious "Bibliotheque du Roi,"
which I did not half see when I gave my account of
it in my "France, 1816 ;" above all, I wanted to see
the chair of "le bon roi Dagobert," and in which Bonaparte was crowned Emperor of France. Denon said he
doubted any such piece of furniture; it was improbable
that an old wooden chair would be left there to preserve
itself. "But," said I, "the chair of St. Peter, what do

LADY MORGAN.

255

you say to that ?" " Bah! mystification," said he,
"mais je vous en dirai des nouvelles." At that moment
"les grands battants" were thrown open with a grand
air by Charles, who announced Madame la Marquise
de Villette ! the dear "belle et bonne" of Voltaire.
I submitted our dispute to her. She said, "Pour ce
qui est de la chaise de Dagobert, celui-la vaut bien
l'autre ;" they were both " des soldats heureux," but
the barbarian king was in 'earnest, the other fit ses
farces. " Oui, mais ii jouait un grand rble," said
DInon. " I have a chair worth a thousand such," resumed Madame de Villette; " the chair of wit, philosophy, and humanity, the fauteuil de Voltaire, in
which he wrote his 'Mahomet,' and his defence of
the unfortunate Calas family whom he saved from
torture and execution. I will give you," said she to
me, "a copy of their picture which he always hung at
the foot of his bed; and Denon, if you survive me,
you shall have the fauteuil; my son does not care for
such things." Denon took both her hands and kissed
them in silence, and almost with emotion; then turning to me she said, "I am come to make you a proposition: will you be a FREEMASON ? Yes; don't be
frightened, I want to instal you in the 'Loge Ecossaise, Belle et Bonne,' established last year, a branch
of the vieille souche, and in which 'les femmes vont
pour quelque chose.' I am grande maitresse for the
present, and your friend, the Countess Gaiton de la

256

DIARY OF

Rochefoucault, is secretaire. The loge works in my
own hotel on Thursday next; you will meet Prince
Paul of Wurtemburg, Talma, and the Archimandrite
of Jerusalem, and your beautiful countrywoman, the
Honourable Mrs. Hutcheson, will all be admitted
along with you. The grand ceremony will take place
in the Salle Voltaire, in which, you know, I have his
statue by Pigale. After we have done working, we
adjourn to my own salon, where we shall have tea and
a dance." I at once entered into the spirit of the
proposition, whilst Dnon's face would have made a
cat laugh; he is so grimacier! At this point entermy husband-whose permission I had not waited for;
he immediately proposed himself, and was admitted
par acclamation. He saw at once that the "Loge
anti-Bourbon
Belle et Bonne" was an anti-Bourbon socit, for
which he is always primed. So much for our conspiracy !
Diary.-I should have thought that the Loge Belle
et Bonne was a mystification of Madame de Villette's,
if Dnon had not just dropped in, and showed us his
invitation to our initiation in the "Loge Belle et
Bonne "-here it is; and I pin it into my journal
with my own, as curious traits of these times of
transition, when all is doubt and "nothing is, but
what is not."

LADY MORGAN.25

257

Lady Morgan's certificate of being admitted to the Loge Belle et Bonne.

Sous la vouite cleste du zBnith, sur le point repondant au 48e degre
50 minutes 14 seconles, latitude nord, le
jour du 1 er mois de l'an

27e

de la V.". L.". 5819 (ere vulgaire 27 mars 1819).

ORDO AB CRA.

Sup.". Conseil du 33e degre du Bit Ecossais ancien et

accept6.

PROGRAMME.
Les Souv.. Gr.". Inspecteurs ge'nraux se reunirent en Sup:. Conseil,
et ouvrirent les travaux du 33e degre, le troisieme jour du second mois de
'an-de la V.-. L.-. 5819 (ere vulgaire samedi 3 avril 1819), dans leur local
ordinaire, rue nenve des Petit-Champs, no 36, a sept heures tres-procises
du soir.
Los travaux seront ouverts par le Tres-Puiss.". Sony:". Grand-Cornmandeur Titulaire, Comte Decaze, pair de France, ministre secretaire
d'Etat an departement de 1'interieur, et en son absence, par le Lieutenant
Grad-Commandeur Titulaire, general do Fernig.
RECEPTION.

1I

y aura reception an 33e degre, d'apres le ritnel de 1'Ordre, avec la
pompe et la magnificence que prescrivent les statuts.
Apres que le Proesident du Sup . Conseil a proclame le Candidat,
Sony.-. Grand-Inspecteur du 33e degre, et pendant qu'il le decore des
cordons do l'Ordro, los FF.: do l'harmonie jouent, sans titre apercus, des
airs analogues a lIa coremonie. L'Intendant de la musique fait ensuito
executer nne marche militaire qui n'est 'd'abord quo faiblement ontendue,
et dont los sons angmentent progressivement.
Quand 'harmonie a cosse de se faire entendre, le Prosident ferme les
travaux dn

Sup.-.

Conseil.

258
DIARY OF

258

A huit heures et demie, ouverture de la Cour des Grands-Commandeurs
du Temple, 278 degre, pour r'installation du Sublime Chapitre metropolitain des Dames Ecossaiaes du Temple, qui li est attache.
TRAVAUX

D'ADOPTION.

Le rituel de cette Maconnerie d'Adoption, peu connu en France, et
qu'aucun At.'. n'a encore suivi, sera exactement observe pour toutes les
ceremonies qu'il prescrit.
Les Ill.-. Dames Ecossaises du Temple seront introduites dans la Cour
des Grands-Commandeurs, avec tous les honneurs.
L'oriflamme sacre du Temple les precede. Le Grand-Maitre des
ceremonies des Grands-Commandeurs donne in main a IaGrande-Maitresse
d'honneur; le Maitre des ceremonies a la Grande-Maitresse titniaire;
I'Adjoint an Maitre des ceremoniesia la Grande-Introductrice. L'etendard
de l'Ecossisme est porte' par une Dame du Temple, a cote de in GrandeMaitresse d'honneur.
Pendant cette introduction, les FF.'. de l'harmonie executeront une
marche d'nn caractere grave et religieux.
Les travaux d'Adoption seront ouverts par la Grande-Maitresse
d'honneur du Subi.'. Chap.'. Metropolitain des Dames Ecossaises, an
premier grade dn regime Templier.
Les l.'. Visiteurs et les Dames SS.'. qui les accompagnent, sont introduits avec tons les honneurs qui leur sont dfs.
Les Ill.'. F.'.
de la R.'. L.'. des Amis des Lettres et des Arts, et les
n
de in Grande Loge Ecossaise Belle et Bonne, sont aussi intro-

Ill.'. SS.-.

duits avec les plus grands honneurs. Its seront prece'des du GrandMaitre des ce're'monies, des Grands-Commandeurs et de in Grands-Introductrice des Dames du Temple.
Les deux Ill.'. Grandes-Maitresses 4'honneur et titulaire de cette Loge
sont place'es sur le trone, a in gauche du Tout-Puissant Grand-Coinmnandeur ; Il,". Ye'n.'. de la IR.". L.'. des Amis des Lettres et des Arts est
aupres d'elles.
L'harmonie s'est fait entendre pendant cette introduction.
La Grande-Maitresse titulaire du Subi.'. Chap.'. M.'. complimente
fraternellement les Dames

SS.'.

et lea Visiteurs qui sont entre's avec elles.

Installation de Subi.'". Chap.'". IM.
Les Ill.'. Commissaires Installateurs du Sup.'. Conseil sont

annonc~s et

introduits avec tons les honneurs.
L'liarmonie exe'cute une nonvelle marche, pendant que les Installatcurs

LADY MORGAN.25

259

prennent leurs places dans la Cour des Grands-Commandeurs. Les
travaux du Sup.'. Conseil du 33e degr sont ouverts par eux an premier
grade symbolique.
Apres que les Dames Ecossaises du S.'.
M.. du Temple auront
prate leur serment au pied du trone, en presence des
executera le superbe chceur de la composition de l'Ill.'. F.'. Boucher
-- Juron8, &c.
L'installation du Subl.'. Chap.', M.", des Dames Ecossaises du Temple
est proclame par les Ill.', Installateurs du
Conseil.
Les travaux d'Adoption reprennent leur
Le Tout-Puiss.'. des
Grands-Commandeurs remercie, an nom de IaCour et du S.'. C.'. M.'., la
commission installatrice. Ii fait applaudir a ses travaux par les batteries
d'usage.

C.-.

Ill.,. Installateurs, on

Sup.'.

cours.

L'Ill.'. S.'. de Munck chante un cantique adapts aaIl fete; ce cantique
sera accompagne sur la harpe par l'IJll.. S.'. Boucher.
L'11.'. F.'. Chancelier des Grands-Commandeurs prononce un discours
analogue a l'installation.
On eatend ensuite les FF.'. et SS.'. qui
des discours prononcer off
des airs a chanter et a executer.
C16ture des travaux d'Adoption.

out

BAI 4 .

A dix heures le bal s'ouvrira daas Les salles de recreation.
Vous etes invites, T.', Ill.'. F.'. et T.'. Ill.'. S.'., a augmenter par votre
presence l'eclat, de cette solennite, etai venir y partager les douceurs de
1'union et de 'amitie' qui regnent parmi nous.
J'ai la faveur de vous saluer fraternellement P.'.
T.. L,'.H.".Q.', V.. S.'. D,'.

5,'. C,', et A.',

L,'. N.'. Mo', Q.'. V.',

Le Lieutenanat Grand-Commandeur titulaire,
GENE~RAL DE FERNIG.
Par mandement du

Saint Empire :

Sup.', Conseil, le Secretaire du
JUDESIIETZ.

P.S. Cette invitation est personnelle, et on dlevra la presenter i l'entre
du Temple pour titre admis daps son enceinte.
.ZVotcr. Vous etes invites it apporter avec -vows yes 0.'. et de'corations
raaconniques.0

260
DIARY OF

260

0.'. DR PARIS, LE 13e JOUR DU

1erMOIS 5819.

ERE VUIGAIRE, 13 MARS 1819.

L.'. DES AMIS DES LETTRES ET DES ARTS,
ET

GRANDE LOGE ECOSSAISE BELLE ET BONNE.

S...
T.". Ch.'.

S.*. S. .

.'. et T.. Ch.. S.,

Nous avons la faveur de vous prdvenir que la R.. L.. des AMIS DES
LETTRES ET DES ARTS, et la Grande Loge Ecossaise BELLE ET BONNE,
ouvriront leurs travaux d'adoption au premier grade, dans leur local
ordinaire, rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore, ni 30, le 18e jour du ler mois de
l'an de la V.-. L.-. 5819, ere vulgaire, jeudi 18 mars, 1819, a sept heures
pr~cises du soir.

11 y aura :
10 Ouverture des travaux a l'heure indiqu~e, par 1,11.. ch.'. Leroy,

V~n.'. titulaire de la R.'. L.-. des Amis des Lettres et des Arts.
20 Introduction des Visiteurs.
30

Introduction du

qui prendra
40
50

V.'. d'honneur, comte de Lacepede, pair de France,

la direction

des travaux.

L'harmonie ex&cutera une marche d'un caractiere grave et religieux.
Initiation de plusieurs profanes au premier grade symbolique.

60 Discours de l'Orateur, adjoint aux inities.
70

Harmonic.
"TRAVAUX

D'ADOPTION.

80 Le Grand-Maitre des c~r~monies ira s'assurer si les Ill.'. S.-. de la
L.', Belle et Bonne sont arriv~s sous les portiques du Temple, et, sur son
rapport, les Ecuyers d~signe's par le VWn.'., jrtc~d~s du Grand-Maitre et

LADY MORGAN.21

261

des Maitres des ceremonies, iront recevoir '1l.. Grande-Maitresse d'honneur, l'Ill:. Grande-Maitresse titulaire et les autres S.". de la Grande

Lee. Ecossaise Belle et Bonne.
90

L'harmonie executera la marche de l'initiation aux mystieres d'Isis.

100 Discours du Venerable, adresse aux Ill.. S.". de Belle et Bonne.
INITIATION.

110 L'Ill.'. Grande-Introductrice annonce a~ 1'11l.". Grande-Maitresse
d'honneur, que plusieurs dames profanes sont dans les avenues du jardin,
et demandent h y titre introduites.
L'Jll.'. Grande-Maitresse ordonne qu'elles soient admises et initiees,
suivant les usages particuliers du nit.
120 Pendant que 1'Il.. Grande-Maitresse d'honneur remet aux SS.'.
nouvellement initiees les decorations de la Grande L.". Ecossaise Belle et
Bonne, 1'I1. . S.. de Mijack, accompagnee sur la harpe par 1'I1. .
Boucher, chantera le cantique analogue a cette solennite.
13° Discours adresse aux initiees par 1'11.. F.'". Saulnier fils, orateur de
la Loge.

S.-.

14°

L'1lL. Fee.

Boucher executera la belle symphonie maconnique dont

ii est l'auteur.
15° Cloture des travaux, pour passer aux salons de recreation, oil l'on
entendra plusieurs morceaux de musique vocale et instrumentale executes
par les Ill.'".

SS..

de Mijuck, Boucher, et par les Ill.'. FF.'". Boucher,

Alexis Dupont, Mutzler, etc. etc.
Vous

tites

invites,

Tr.-. Ch.-. F.e.

et

Tr.-. Cl.-.

S.'".,

a~

augmenter par

votre presence l'eclat de cette fete, et a venir y partager les douceurs de
r'amiti6"qui nous' unit.
Nous avons la faveur de vous saluer fraternellement
S.'. C.. et avecT.". L.". H.. Q.". V.". S.. D:.

Q..YV.".

Le Yen.-', de la

R.-.

P.'. Lee* N.'. Me.'.

L.'". des Amis des lettres et des arts.

Chev. LEROY.
Leter Surv...de la R.. L.".,
TALMA.

L'Orateur de la R.'. L.".,
SAULNIER fils.

Le 2d Surv."..de la R.. L.".,
JOLY.

Par mandement de la R.'". L.'".,
CRUZEL, secretaire.

P.S. Cette invitation est personnelle, et on devra la presenter pour titre
admis aux travaux.

262

DIARY

OF

262
DIARY OF
Ill.". F.".,
LA loge des Amis des Lettres et des Arts, sera bien sensible aux regrets
que vous avez la
de lui exprimer. Vous serez convoquez pour notre
prochaine tenue, et comme elle aura lieu en loge d'adoption,
osons
esperer que Lady Morgan fera pour la troisieme fois la gloire de nos
travaux.
Youlez-vous bien, monsieur, partager avec milady mes respectueux
hommages.
Paris, ce 5 mars, 1819.

bonte'

nous

M. LENEZ.

_________________

S.".

S.'.

S.".

MADAME,

LOESQUE j'ai eu L'honneur d'accompagner Madame la Marquise de
Villette, la semaine precedente chez 'votre seigneurie, deux dames* de yes
compatriotes lui ont temoigne le desir d'etre de la Loge Belle et Bonne. Je
vous prie d'avoir la bont de m'envoyer le nom et l'adresse de ces dames,
pour qu'on puisse leur adresser des invitations. Permettez-moi, madame,
de profiter de cette occasion pour offrir a votre seigneurie l'hommage de
mon entier et respectueux devo11ment,

SAUtraEn,

Orat.-. de la Loge Belle et Bonne,
Quaif Malaquai, No.

1G.

Lady Morgan, a Paris.
* These two ladies were Mrs. Reynolds Solly, wife of Reynolds Solly,
Esq., of George Hill, Herts, &c., and Mrs. Prescott, now Marquise - .
MADAME,

LA quatribme livraison de la Bibliotheque maronnique donne les details
de la fete qui eut lieu le mois demnier chez Madame la Marquise la Villette,
pour l'installation de la Loge Belle et Bonne. L'ill,%. orateur de cette loge
vous distingua particulierement parmt les dames dignitaires qui la comi
posent.
Comme editeur de cet ouvrage, je vous prie d'agrler, madame, cette
livraison: je me trouve heureux d'avoir eu l'occasion d'y publier le discours
de M. Saulnier fils, qui rend uin si juste hommage a vyes talents eta~ votre

philanthropic.

J'ai l'honneur de vous saluer, madame, avec le respect le plus profond.
Le- secretaire general du
JOLY.

Sup.-. Conseil,*

Paris, le 17 mars, 1819.
* 1858.--Lest this account of the scenery and machinery of our
masonic drama should startle the incredulous, I beg to state that my
credentials and costume-my working apron and cordon bleu rouge et blamc
'-are at this moment among my othe~r brimborions in my boudoir,

LADY MORGAN.

263

Diary.-Yesterday was a very busy day. Benjamin
Constant and Morgan were working at their eloges, in
French and English, on Sir Samuel Romilly. Morgan
was obliged to send off his with the packet for Colburn, as the French and English brochures were to
appear the same day in London and Paris. Then, to
the Jardin des Plantes, and a visit to the Cuviers,
who engaged us for to-morrow evening, to meet a
leve'e en masse of the scientific,-and so home to dine
and dress for my adoption into the " Loge Belle et
Bonne."
Chemin faisant, I called on the Countess
Gaiton de la Rochefoucault, who is chef en seconde of
our loge; she was out--a great disappointment, as I
wanted to have her advice and opinion on the subject
of the evening. I should like to know whether we
are going only to faire nos farces, or whether to assist
at a political re'union. Nous verrons !
Diary, January, 1819.-Well, here I am, a "Free
and accepted Mason," according to the old Irish masonic song. When we drove to the solitudes of the
Rue Vaugirard, Faubourg St. Germaine, we found the
court of the Hotel la Villette, and all the remises, full
of carriages. "Belle et Bonne," magnificently dressed
in white satin and diamonds, with Voltaire's picture
round her neck, set in brilliants, received us in the salon
with a sort of solemn grace, very unlike her usual
joyous address. Madame la G6nerale Foy, the wife of

264

DIARY OF

the popular militaire, stood beside her; His Royal
Highness Prince Paul of Wurtemburg; the Bishop
of Jerusalem; Talma; Count de la Rochefoucault,
in full-dress, looking very like his illustrious ancestor of " Les Maximes ;" D)non; the Count de Cazes,
pair de France (brother to the premier, the Duc
de Cazes); General Favier; and many others whom
we knew, were assembled, and muttered their conversation in little groups. At half-past eight they
all proceeded to hold the Chapter for the installation
of the "Dames Ecossaises du Temple," according to
the programme, we, les dames postulantes, remaining
behind till we were called for. I really began to feel
some trepidation, and the stories that I had heard from
my childhood upwards, of the horrors of the trial of a
free masonic probation, rose to my mind, red-hot poker
included! At nine o'clock we were summoned to attend the " Ouverture de la cour des grands commandeurs." When the battants were thrown open, a
spectacle of great magnificence presented itself. A
profusion of crimson and gold, marble busts, a decorated throne and altar, a profusion of flowers, incense
of the finest odour filling the air, and, in fact, a
spectacle of the most scenic and dramatic effect presented itself. Such of the forms as are permitted to
reach ears profane are detailed in the programme.
We took the vows, but as to the SECRET-" it shall
never pass these lips, in holy silence sealed." That

LADY MORGAN.

265

so many women, young and beautiful, and worldly,
should never have revealed the secret, is among
the miracles which the much-distrusted sex are
capable of working. When the great mysteries had
been celebrated, and the novices were seated, and
silence reigned, there was a sudden outburst of harmony,. through all of which, from time to time,
the strange musical eccentricities of the half-mad,
half-inspired Boucher were distinctly heard, and only
quelled by the melodious harp-invocations of his wife,
the finest harpist of her time. After the overture,
we had an oration by the Grand Chancellor. The
loge lasted two hours. During the whole time
my eyes were fixed on the Archimandrite of Jerusalem, and Talma, who had precisely the same expression of countenance which he had worn in "Neron"
when bothered by one of Agrippa's lectures, which
was a stern ennui personified. The archbishop tried
to look pious, but as it was the piety of the Greek
Church I did not understand it; had it been an Irish
priest I should have been au fait. When the loge
was. closed, we adjourned processionally to the salle de
recreation, and the ball was opened. The priestesses
had thrown off their officiating robes, and the grande
mattresse en seconde opened the ball with Prince Paul
of Wurtemburg.
To-morrow we are to have our certificates of adoption, which we shall forward forthwith to our Grand

266

DIARY OF

Master of Irish Freemasons, the dear darling good
Duke of Leinster; and now I am off for every sort
of packing-up, as in a few days we shall be en route
for Italy.

From Thomas Moore.
11, Allde des Veuves, Friday.

I THOUGHT to have reached you to-day, but was
detained at home too late. Pray fix either Friday or
Saturday to dine with us. The former day would,
perhaps, be better, as I find Madame de Flahaut*
expects us all on that evening, and, her house being
near this, we could go together; only, let me know
as soon as you can.
Yours, most truly,
THOMAS MooRE.
From Benjamin Constant.
Friday.

I CAN assure Lady Morgan that it requires very
little time to read "Florence Macarthy," if I judge by
the impatience with which I read each volume, but
the misfortune is, I am always tempted to read again
when I have finished. However, I will endeavour
this time to resist the temptation, and return it as
soon as I have done with it once. Only I see no
means of preventing Madame Constant reading it,
because I am a peaceful husband, and do not like to
* The Countess de Flahaut is at this time Baroness Keith, the granddaughter of Madame Piozzi. Count de Flahaut is too well and too
generally known to need notification.

LADY MORGAN.

267

resist a wife's wishes.
However, I will send the
volume back in the course of a few days, under the
express condition of having it lent to me again when
your other friends want it no longer.
BENJAMIN CONSTANT.

From Lady Charleville to Sir Charles Morgan, on his Book.
29th January, 1819.
MY DEAR SIR,

LORD CHARLEVILLE has had a severe illness,
arising, I believe, from unsettled gout, and too full a
regimen. I have been by night and by day occupied
so bitterly, with the additional feeling of incapacity
to do what I wished, that I could not thank you as
I ought for the honour you have done me, to write
to me the 10th January. I am thoroughly sensible
of the great indulgence of your feeling it at all
fitting to converse with me on the subject of your
most distinguished work. I wish I was able to
praise it as it deserves, with the knowledge and discrimination of an enlightened reader; but I believe,
from what I have heard here, that it is likely to
establish your fame and learning amongst those who
are indeed conversant with physiology. It is a proud
thing, so early in life, to be so distinguished; and
assuredly, with a good private character, I should
prefer the attainment of literary distinction to any
other the world could offer. Both these things you

268

DIARY OF

enjoy, my dear sir, and I hope they may afford you
all the happiness I fancy they should bestow.
You are too modest to fancy that you have not
clearly shown your intention was not to discuss the
most interesting of all questions (the immortality of
the soul), and to confine your observations to physical
facts. You write too well for any doubts to be entertained on your intention; and I cannot understand
the most devout man being displeased with the investigations of nature. But it was equally impossible
for a real friend not to feel that you had not ascribed
to the great source of life and light that vivifying.
principle which animates us, and which (if there had
never been a revelation) had still asked after something beyond this perishable globe! The cruel effects
of priestcraft and despotism have created systems
which reason mocks at; but the philosophy of Moses
and Christ opens such reasonable consolation, such
beautiful philanthropy, such wise and absolute reference to the one God, the Father, directing, governing all things, and animating all nature, that, as it
cannot be disproved, I cling to it with a joy I would
share from my heart with all those I value! I do
value you for all I have observed and heard of you,
and for contributing so largely to the happiness of
my dear Lady Morgan ; so you must not be displeased
with me if my wishes for your absolute enjoyment
of all that existing things can afford be joined to an

LADY MORGAN.

269

ardent wish that you may be happy also in the bosom
of that Being who has given you so large a portion
of his illumination for the better to understand and
adore Him !
You will smile at my enthusiasm, but you cannot
be angry at me, while you think that I am from my
heart anxious and sincere; and that I only want you
to have, in the progress of your study, the cheering
prospect of that bright centre, the least ray of which
lights us unto hope beyond this wayward world.
I have a misgiving, as I may call it, that bodes
little of security in the politics of France. I have
heard, myself, the younger De Cazes speak in favour
of influence and interference in elections, &c., &c,
and the press. Such things here may be done, but
I do not know any young man who would not blush
to uphold the doctrine ! The rising generation Lady
Morgan augurs well of, and I hope they may deserve
it; but I neither believe in the education of Ultras'
or Jacobins' children. Relative equality of taxation
and absolute impartial distribution of justice, with the
free power of nominating our representatives to the
Assembly which regulates the burdens we must bear,
and liberty of conscience, appear to me what constitutes rational liberty. Now, the Catholics will not
allow to us what they require of us-and, therefore,
that religion which France professes, is contrary to
liberty-and I do think meanly of the jargon of their

270

DIARY OF

debates, and the strange verbosity of their courts of
justice. Some profess to think they have obtained at
once a constitution, which took us years to uprear,
and therefore, that all will be well; but I cannot help
thinking, the time we took to raise it would infer
each improvement suited to the mass, and that men,
too, were by degrees educated to understand and
value rational liberty; that our situation, favourable
to commerce, enriched the citizen and made him
value the laws which protected him, while the heads
of the French are filled with fantastic theories, or
with the love of war (which, in them, was debased
by a love of plunder too), that has taken away all
that once was chivalrous in the French character;
that they now allow people to pray to God their own
way, has proceeded from indifference to the subject,a bad foundation for morals! and I dare swear the
king will do it away when he dare; and if not him,
his bigoted successor. I wish sincerely it may be
otherwise, for France should be the finest country on
the earth, and her people amongst the best, as they
are surely the most gifted.
Will you be so kind to let Lady Morgan, when she
writes, say when you go to Italy, and what are your
intentions for your abode there? If you should go
next summer, I would like to think we might have
some chance of meeting there, and then you would
prescribe for my tat physique, and revenge yourself

LADY MORGAN.

271

by a nauseous drug (if you were very ill-natured), for
all the stuff you have been forced to swallow if you
read this letter.
Best and kindest wishes await miladi, and tell her
everybody delights in "Florence," but on dit, Croker
was innocent, and Southey the man! but I don't
believe it-Southey has too much genius for such
a composition.
C. M.

C.

Lady Charleville to Lady Morgan.
Brighton, February.

I

received here yours, my dear Lady
Morgan, and also the letter you wrote and intended
to go by the Count Capponi, &c.
I shall not
be in London until after Easter.
If your two
Italian friends are at that time there, I shall do
everything that my home can do to satisfy your recommendation. Lord Guildford sent me a Russian
prince, aide-de-camp to Alexander, too, and I have been
able to do nothing for him either, for I have not had a
thought but of misery, and that not in my own
person, for I am much as usual, but for Lord Charleville, and for my too dear Tullamore also, and it is
now long since I had rest and peace, either by night
or by day. Lord Charleville had a heavy seizure of
goutte rencontre, and blood pressing on his head, and
HAVE

the variety of all the sufferings consequent on this
infliction, which had abated; and the quantity of

272

DIARY OF

blood he lost required bracing air, and change from
bustle to quiet, and compelled us to leave London the
last day of January; since which Tullamore was
attacked by a bilious fever of slow and nervous tendency, and fourteen days has been in bed and one
week out of it, during all which time the whole weight
of care and watching of both (in a narrow lodging,
noisy and comfortless comparatively for invalids) you
will easily understand ; and Lord Charleville must be
carried by two noisy footmen from one room to the
other, up creaking narrow stairs, and rusty bolts, when
quiet was vitally important. There was much of local
addition to the dreadful crisis; but it is now past, and
bdth are recovering, though slowly. Oh, my dear
Lady Morgan! I have had courage for myself, and I
do not know that I ever addressed a direct prayer to
God for my own recovery. I always by instinct felt
that the share of evil which every human creature is
bound to endure was mercifully, in my case hitherto,
inflicted on my body, and I knew there I was less
vulnerable than for my children, and I blessed the
power that spared them evil and me distraction. Oh,
I judged right at least in this! but perhaps I had no
right to this blessed exemption; and I knew not, in
fact, what misery was, nor was half the grateful creature I should have been, and which I now shall be for
what I am spared! I show you this to read my naked
heart, because that I trust and believe in yours, and

LADY MORGAN.

273

will; and I deserve you should speak without reserve
to me of its leanings, as you have done in your last
letter. I know not yet what will be determined as to
our leaving England, which Lord Charleville's family
disapprove of I see; and that was one of the causes
when I wrote to Sir Charles, when I bade him to let
you inform me of your route; for it might be some
argument with them that I was sure of a medical
friend in an emergency being at hand; for now I see,
what I already took for granted, that your tour is
precisely what we had purposed to make. Do not, to
any English or Irish person, mention Lord Charleville's illness,-exaggeration and insouciance and gossip
are to be avoided amongst us who live upon reports,and my opinion conscientiously is that clear skies
would influence his health advantageously, else no
improvement of my own could have any weight with
me now. I will send you from London letters for
Lord Burghersh, whom I know, at Turin, and Mr.
Algernon Percy, his secretary, and I will procure
letters for Naples from others. Some things might
have been, it is true, improved in "France" with
advantage, and the title was too high-sounding for a
tourist's confined scope: yet few women could have
written it, and few men but will allow it has the merit
of quick perceptibility, pleasant and amusing narrative, and, to my opinion, a proper principle of sympathy
with a great nation struggling for its fair rights and

274

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emancipation from despotism. I was aware, from
Lady Hardwicke (who ought to have been above so
poor a feeling), that Lady E. Stewart disliked the
manner of mention of her assembly. Lord help us,
if that is to hurt an author, pens and ink are as well
proscribed at once! I heard Mr. Croker had given
authority positively to deny, in his name, having
written the critique, which these same people attributed to Southey. Now it is impossible Southey
wrote it; because he writes too well, and is too great
a man to have written it, base and unfeeling as it is;
and because the style betrays the author in his other
productions. However, there is some pleasure to make
him go about telling lies, and that people think him
mean for the denial, who approved of his diatribe.
But once more as to " Miss Florence." It gave me
pleasure, the day I dined with the Regent here, to find
it on his table, and to hear him say, when I took it up,
"I hope you like the Eagle and O'Leary; I have never
read anything more delightful or more pathetic than
Cumhal's catastrophe; Croker may rail on, he'll do
her no harm." And again he reverted to the subject,
and said, "Damned blackguard, to abuse a woman, isn't
it ?" and "Could not he let her ' France' alone, if it be
all lies, and read her novels, and thank her, by Jasus !
(with a true brogue) for being a good Irishwoman ?"
Believe me the Regent has a heart at bottom; and I am
only surprised that, surrounded as an heir-apparent is,

LADY MORGAN.

275

and as he has always been, every mouth and every eye
taught to express assent, and to anticipate his bias,
and the fair plain truth never suffered near him-I say
I am only surprised he is human! He sent me all the
drinks that my poor child fancied (which the medical
man, Tierney, an Irishman, had told him of) every
day; and this it was which sent me (dressed up in my
rolling chair) to thank him on the eve of his departure; and it is most sure I should have met less sympathy, and less of apparent interest, in the inquiries of
any other man in the town. I had refused going all
along to the Pavilion (for those things I delight not
in), but his goodness about my child was not to be
passed over; and unquestionably I do not wonder his
manner and his feeling should smooth down bitter
recollections of where he has been wrong, and bind
his friends to him. You ask me if there be left, after
Hobhouse and Rose, stuff for you in Italy to work on.
I like Hobhouse much, and Rose I have not read, but
I easily believe there is much; for what have Eustace,
or Hobhouse, or Miss Knight done that can interfere
with your quick observation of the people, and their
customs, habits, and feelings of the past and present?
But I would have you conceal, most carefully, what
you do think of writing, because I know already, from
M. Grimaldi,* the Duke of Spinella, and others, they
dread it. You will find them in their hearts cowed,
* Marquis Grimaldi, the Sardinian ambassador.

T

2

276

DIARY OF

and bigoted to priestcraft, however they pretend; and
a word against their priest is to them more hateful
than against their God. Yet they will pretend philosophic apathy, to you, a heretic, and liberal opinions
upon government, because you are a subject of Britain ;
but excepting Trechi, and he, as a " Milanese," of
course liked Buonaparte (who raised Milan to opulence, and made it the seat of government)-I say,
excepting him, all those I know are actually as fit for
the pope's government and his regiment of Jesuists as
they were heretofore.
I read with deep anxiety the state of French
politics. I now almost believe in the king's wish to
act honestly, but I dread the machinations of the ultra
royalists and the Bourbon princes: moreover, it strikes
me, that this law of election must be a most defective
one, if the prevots may influence in their department
in the manner it is asserted they do; or rather if it be
possible they can create at pleasure a matter of forty
votes in each department where they preside, in favour
of whomsoever they please; and this is asserted in,
and remains uncontradicted by, the Chamber of Deputies. Their mode and manner of debate appear like
the irregular wranglings of schoolboys rather than a
senate-house occupied with a question of such vital
import as the Election Law. And lately I read a
pamphlet on the trial by jury, and another, a critique
on poor Madame de Stael (which absolutely were es-

LADY MORGAN.

277

teemed by De Cazes, and sent over by him), that proves
to my conviction a want of all solid information or
principle to guide the boat into safe harbour. Why
was not the Marquis La Fayette a peer, when they
were seeking to regenerate freedom and to honour private worth ? Why was the most violent of Royalists,
Montalembert, created one ? In short, why are the
infatuated bigots of Count d'Artois's followers to prevent a great nation from receiving the benefits of a
free constitution, and, by'degrees, of improving the
crude suggestions of the first outline which I am now
(since he has acted firmly on this great trial), to suppose it is his wish to support and adhere to ? All
these queries I should like to hear debated on in your
salon; but the very effervescence and sort of talent
they all show in private companies is, I fear, one of
the reasons their Commons-house will be ever a beargarden: for if seventy-five are to speak out of two
hundred and fifty, we must infer (who know the
quantum of human talent not to be in that ratio under
the most favourable circumstances) that conceit and
turbulence drive them on to the disturbance of all
those who could teach and instruct them. I believe,
with you, there is better material in Italy, if it was
free; and there, and in the bright hopes that opened
to them of getting rid of papist government, it is that
Bonaparte is a loss to Europe; and from my heart I
condemn a British subject lending a helping hand to
restore the see of Rome. I have lately read the notes

278

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to the Douay Bible, published by Dr. Troy's orders
for the instruction of the Irish people, and I do absolutely think that no person who is not bloodthirsty
and prejudiced as an inquisitor, could, after these
notes, reconcile their feelings of right and wrong to
put power and legislative authority into an Irish
Papist's hands. If they were all Deists and Atheists
(like my old friends the French) our lives and properties had been safe; but with the catechists of this
dreadful school nothing is sacred but Rome!
My dearest Lady Morgan, I do love so many individuals of various feelings and opinions, that I cannot
feel anything but anxiety for this great country becoming free and happy; but I fear as long as there
are Jesuits and ambitious unconnected priests, without
the gentler ties of nature and wives and children to
bind them, and old heartburhing feudal recollections
in the nobility of France, we shall not have it established. This I deplore for them, and my heart
sickens when I think how many miseries new troubles
would create dans cette belle France; and how ready all
their military and our own, and the de'sceuvres of other
nations are for this desolation.
Best and kindest regards to Sir Charles.
Tell Sir Charles, Benjamin Constant does not write
as well as he. I am sorry he undertook the subject,
for it is a noble one for a master hand.
M. C. CHARLEVILLE.

LADY MORGAN.

279

Diary.--A card has just come in from the Marechale
the Duchesse de Ragusa. A bal masque--an invitation to a bal masque par exemple! This bal is the subject of general gossipry in Paris, and will you go? or
will you not go ? is the question of the day. We
belong to the ayes. The doubt about it is the terms
upon which Marmont and his wife have been living
for some years. She brought him a large fortune,
and he gave her a deathless name, at least, as long as
"Diccon his master was not bought and sold" to oblivion, for they rose and sunk together. The point
is--will Marmont be there masque or de'masque ? Both
Marmont and Bonaparte were military pupils together of La Place, and stood the same examination
before that great man at the military school, so says
D6non.* He remembers them being together at the
soiree at the Court of the Directory when Barras
reigned, and the beautiful Madame Tallien reigned
viceroy over him, at the same time that General
Buonaparte was aux petits soins with Madame Beauharnais. Denon speaks in raptures of the women and
the private society of that day. Madame Marmont
is the daughter of the great banker, Perrier.
We have got our dominos and masks, mine a rich
* Bonaparte was visiting the picture gallery of Soult with Denon, and
was struck with one of Raffaelle's pictures, which Denon complimented

with the term "immortal."

"How long may it last ?" asked Bonaparte.

"Well, some four or five hundred years longer," said Denon.
immortalit4 !" said Bonaparte, disdainfully.

" Belle

280

DIARY OF

black demireps, which will make me a beautiful dress
for Italy, so I don't mind the extravagance.
I can
make up a domino for Morgan of a piece of Irish
poplin, which I brought over for a present to Madame
Jerome Bonaparte; but she is gone. My little mask
is the impersonation of coquetry and the identical
be'quin* of Louis the XVth's day: it nearly touches
the upper lip with a little black fall. Dnon says it
becomes me a ravir et a bonne cause.

Brockett Hall,

MY

December 18th.
DEAR LADY MORGAN,

Two days before I wrote to you I had fallen from
my horse. Three days after I was seized with a most
violent nervous fever, accompanied by inflammation
in the throat and stomach, so that what with the
general lowness and partial fulness no one knew what
to do. For one week I never swallowed anything.
The moment of danger passed, and now I believe, in
truth, I died; for assuredly a new Lady Caroline
has arisen from this death. I seem to have buried
my sins, griefs, melancholy, now, and to have come
out like a new-born babe, unable to walk, think,
speak; but perfectly happy. So finding myselfafter I had wished for death and died-alive again,
* Originally Bdguine, borrowed from the shade worn by the lay nuns of
that order over their faces.

LADY MORGAN.

281

I made them carry me out into the air in a blanket,
and then, to the astonishment of every one, ordered
my horse next day, and sat upon it and would ride,
and now am well, only weak. I have positively refused
to take any draughts, pills, laudanum, wine, brandy,
and arrowroot, or other stimulants. I live upon milk
porridge, soda water and milk, and all the farinaceous
grains. My mind is calm-I am pleased to be alivegrateful for the kindness shown me; and never mean
to answer any questions further back than the 15th of
this month, that being the day of this new Lady
Caroline's birth, and I hate the old one. She had her
good qualities; but she had grown into a sort of female
Timon--not of Athens-bitter, and always going over
old, past scenes.
She also imagined that people
hated her. Now the present Lady Caroline is as gay
as a lark, sees all as it should be, not perhaps as it
is; and having received your very clever letter, full
of good sense, means to profit by it; but, at present, like her predecessor, and like one of your countrymen, is going about wanting work. I have nothing
necessarily to do. I know I might, and ought to do
a great many things, but then I am not compelled to
do them.
As to writing, assuredly enough has been written,
besides, it is different writing when one's thoughts flow
out before one's pen, and writing with one's pen waiting for thoughts. Would I could be useful! I did

DIARY OF

282

write a book about stables and domestic economy, upon
a new and beautiful plan; but unless some one saw it
and thought it good, I would not venture to publish it:
yet I wrote it whilst writing " Ada Reis."
My laundry and stables I conduct upon that plan to
save myself trouble ; ut it is more difficult to put it
into practice in a house, although it was done, and
with success, one year.
I mention this to show you that I, too, have been a
good housewife, and saved William* much; but he says
what is the use of saving in one place if you squander
all away in another ? Alas! what is the use of anything? we may go on saying what is the use, till we
really puzzle ourselves, as I did, as to why we exist at
all. When you have a moment to spare write to me.
Remember me to Sir Charles Morgan. I will give
your message to Miss White.
Believe me, most truly yours,
CAROLINE LAMB.
From General La Fayette to Lady Morgan.
Wednesday, 13th February, 1819.
MY DEAR LADY,

IT would be a real festival to pass the evening at
your house, but a combination of affairs prevents me.
It seems ridiculous to appear so busy with such
trifling results; nevertheless, I am obliged to go
* Lord Melbourne.

LADY

MORGAN.28

283

where I am expected. Accept my excuses and regrets. I shall arrange to indemnify myself on
nesday next. A thousand affectionate remembrances.

Wed-

LA FAYETTE.

Prom M. Pougence to Sir Charles Morgan.
Paris, Rue des Petits Augustins, No. 14,
Pres le Musee, ce 27 Fevrier, 1819.
MONSIEUR LE CHEVALIER,

JE vous reponds avec ma franchise ordinaire

'a
la

lettre dont vous m'avez honors en date du 24 courant.
Voici l'exacte vsrite: J'ai quelque droit pour tre cru,
car jk'tais l'6Ive et l'ami le plus intime de feu
M. d'Alembert, certes le meilleur des hommes. Ii est
faux que feu M. le Marquis de Condorcet fit dans sa
chambre a l'epoque oil ii rendit la terre ses dspouilles
mortelles. Depuis plusieurs jours, il 6tait mme
absent de Paris. Je crois qu'il 6tait la IRoche Guyon,
chez feu Madame la Duchesse d'Anville. M. d'Alembert est mort la tate appuyee sur ma poitrine, avec le
sang froid d'un sage, et le calme d'un homme de bien.
ne doit 6pouvanter que
Nulle crainte pour l'avenir,
le mschant : nulle ostentation, qui le plus souvent
n'est qu'une faiblesse deguisee. Je ne parlerai point
ici de ses hautes lumieres ici, de son gocit exquis en
littsrature : l'Europe savante lui rend justice; mais les
gens de bien aimeront ai apprendre que sa vie entiere
ne fut qu'une suite de bonnes actions.

a

qui

'a

DIARY OF

284

J'ai l'honneur d'tre avec la considdration la plus
distinguee,
Monsieur le Chevalier,
Votre tres-humble et tres-ob6issant serviteur,
POUGENCE,
Chevalier de l'ordre souverain de St. Jean de Jdrusalem,
de l'Acadimie Frangaise des Inscriptions et Belles I ttres, &c.

From M. Pougence (the friend of D'Alembert) to Lady Morgan.
Paris, No. 14 Rue des Petits Augustins,
28th January, 1819.

I

been faithful to my sovereign mistress.
Now, you are one of those towards whom the slightest
insurrection would be an act of impiety. I have read
the notice placed at the head of the travestie, published under the name of a translation, and that
because I was doubtful of the contents. For what is
a sincere attachment? Is it not a solicitude and
anxiety ? Madame de Pougence and myself had no
wish to read a single line of that dear " Florence
Macarthy" in a masquerade dress. I wait the
genuine one. Why do Messrs. Treuttel and Wurtz
delay the publication? I have received the order of
Her Imperial Majesty, the Empress Dowager of
Russia, to send her the first copy. The courier has
gone away empty-handed. Assuredly, I shall not
send the translation. Present my best compliments
to Sir Charles. I offer at my lady's feet the homage
of my admiration and respect.
HAVE

POUGENCE.

LADY MORGAN.

285

THERE are, in France, ninety-eight peers, amongst
whom are included bad subjects, blockheads, and chatterers. There are only to oppose them sixty permanents; but, considering the dispositions of the jeerers,
these imbeciles, fearing to be lost, have been obliged
to have recourse to the opinion of arbitrators.

Diary.-Well, our bal masque was altogether a very
curious thing, to me, in one instance, rather disagreeable.
Imprimis-the Hotel Marmont is composed of quantities of little rooms of reception, like Chinese boxes, fitting one within the other: they are all most gorgeously
decorated, and full of beautiful things, very like, I
should think, les maisons de plaisance under the Reqence
or Egalite"'s famous one; it was crowded and hot to suffocation. What was remarkable was, that there was no
one to receive the company; for neither Marmont nor
Madame appeared. Very few took off their masks. I,
unfortunately, was among the few who did so, for I
was suffocated, which exposed me to be intrigue'd in the
most ungentlemanlike manner by three gentlemen.
Morgan had left me to find our carriage, and I
observed three masques near me, laughing and muttering. One of them, the tallest, addressed me in the
most impertinent manner on the subject of my praise
of the handsome Basque, who was in attendance at the
Duchesse de Biron's dejedner, 1816, and who is men-

286

DIARY OF

tioned in my "France" of that year; but it is not
worth recording their very scabreuses observations. A
masque stood near me, to whom I addressed myself,
" May I beg your protection, and request that you will
give me your arm to the antechamber, where my husband is gone in search of our carriage ?" He replied, "I
have placed myself near you for that purpose." It was
Colonel Davisier de Pontes. I found Morgan, who was
coming to fetch me; but I have not said a word on the
subject to him. I have discovered the name of my
persecutor; it was young La Grange, the general's
son, a fierce Bourbonite for the present. I am sorry
to add that the Comte de
, directeur du Musee,
and the successor to my dear gallant Denon, was of the
party. This fashion in France of profiting by the custom d'intriguerat masque balls is replete with cowardice
and malignity, and a disgrace to that social courtesy
for which France has always been so remarkable. In
the course of the evening D6non led me into the boudoir of Madame Marmont, when we found her seated
on a sofa and unmasked, looking very tired. She was
very courteous, and regretted that our approaching departure from Paris would deprive her of the pleasure
of seeing us again. She was rather Dodu, and quite
"assez jolie pour une heritiere."

LADY MORGAN.

287

From M. Jouy to Lady Morgan.
Thursday morning.

MY

VERY DEAR AND ILLUSTRIOUS SISTER,

I POSSESS some influence, or at least some understanding with the great theatres at Paris, but I am
entirely a stranger to those in which they act melodrama. I have, nevertheless, a channel through
which I may be useful to your melodramatic countryman, which is to introduce him to a young friend of
mine, who superintends the rain and fine weather at
the Porte St. Martin. If Mr. Lawrence will take
the trouble of calling on me about three o'clock (today only excepted), I will give him a note for this
associate, which may perhaps assist him. Receive
with complaisance the assurance of my respectful
attachment, and high consideration for your admirable
talents.
Your sincere admirer,
JoUY.
L.cy Morgan to Lady Clare.
March, 1819.
MY DEAR LOVE,

YouR letters have at last arrived: two of the
7th of December, from Colburn, one by Robinette,
and one by post on 2nd of January. From all these
I learn that " Florence" is disliked, abused, and cried
down; but whether you or Clarke ever saw or had it,
or liked it, I cannot discover, as you never think it
worth your while to say. I thought it deserved a

288

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little more attention than this from my own people,
whatever the world might think; but, alas! I never
was a prophet in my own family. You allude to
some letter of Lord Aylmer's ; I know of no letter.
I was at Lady Leitrim's one day just as a letter
had been received from Lady Charlemont. She said
to me, "It is not admiration my sister feels, it is
enthusiasm. She says you alone have courage to
defend your country," &c., and a thousand other flattering things. The other night Lord Leitrim was here.
I told him I had heard Lady Charlemont did not
like " Florence." He said, "Don't believe a word ofit ;
she is enthusiastic, and told us that even Lord Norbury was pleased and enjoyed it." We dined with
Lord Aylmer's sister, Mrs. Cunningham, yesterday,
who not only sent the carriage for us, but made us
take it for the evening: she is constantly with us.
This would not be the case if her sister were offended.
But I wonder you don't see the drift of the person
who told you this and reported it to me; for the rest,
they are only giving vent to their own malice. If
there are such a set of " Crawley" creatures in
Dublin that everybody finds an original in their own
circle, " then among them be it Blind Harpers !"* as
we say in Ireland. I owe them nothing, and with
Europe on my side, I am rather indifferent to what is
* Characters in "Florence Macarthy," which everybody applied to
their neighbour---or enemy, which is generally synonymous.

289

LADY MORGAN.

said or thought by a few obscure individuals in the
obscurest spot in the world. Whoever tells you all
this, does it to vex and mortify you; you ought not to
listen to them, but tell them you are not a fit person
to abuse your sister to. A little proper spirit in
this way would soon put an end to their malignity.
As to the dear English, I have this moment a note
of four pages from Mr. Lattin, apologising for the
number he had been obliged to introduce, and declaring he had refused persons of rank and talen ; and
that an English gentleman said to him, "If you dare
not introduce me as an Englishman, say I am a Swede,
for I speak the language, and she won't find me out."
A nephew of Lord Whitworth's, Mr. Russell, son of
Sir H. Russell, got Mrs. Colonel Wyly to write to me
to beg I would let him come, and she slips in a
Colonel Digby into the bargain. Mrs. Macneil (Miss
Brownlow) came in with a long face to my last
Wednesday soiree, saying she hoped I would not be
annoyed, but that Colonel Wallace, Sir C. Campbell,
and General

There is

would follow her in.

a little knot of equivocal Irish ladies here, of battered
reputations, some of whom keep hazard-tables and
amuse themselves with writing anonymous letters, &c.
You know what sort of creatures they are, and so
that is enough of them. A very interesting youth
has arrived in Paris, who has presented us his works
in modern Greek, and adds greatly to our circle: he
U

290

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excited some sensation here last Wednesday, when I
had a most brilliant set-out. The books presented to
us make a complete library. But what will Clarke
say when he hears that I am a "free and an accepted
mason !" that I have attended a lodge, taken the oath,
&c. ! and that I am now "IUne sceur d'adoption de la
grande loge ecossaise, belle et bonne, des Jardins
d'Eden, c6t6 de l'Orient ; sous les auspices du supreme
conseil du 33 degrd, au lit ancien et acceptd trs-puissant." I wish I could send you the printed account
of the free masonic fete, at which we were present.
After the grand lodge was held for the men, the
women were admitted (for all over the Continent the
women have free masonic lodges) with the visitors, and
those who were to be received. All the grand dignitaries (peers of France and deputies), with their masonic costume, were present: the Count de Lacepide
(the famous naturalist), grand master, and the Marquise de Villette, with her apron, sash, &c. There were
two very eloquent orations made, one eulogising the
masonic order, and showing its antiquity, beneficence,
&c., the other returning thanks to the many celebrated
and literary characters who had graced the meeting,
in the middle of which the orator addressed me as
" illustre Anglaise," who alone had had the courage
to stand up in defence of France in the days of her
greatest misfortune, and to give an example of liberality. At first I did not think they meant me, until

LADY MORGAN.

291

they all got up to look at me, and I must say it was
rather a painful than a pleasant moment, and I hope
no one will ever address me in public again. After
this a most interesting scene took place, a commemoration of Voltaire. Near the altar on which his
bust was placed, sat Madame de Villette (his adopted
daughter) in his own fauteuil, and as the last link
between the past and the present age, and the last
survivor of Voltaire's illustrious circle, she was a
most interesting object.
Mademoiselle Duchenois,
the Siddons of France, stood before the bust and
recited a very fine ode to his memory, most beautifully
and affectingly. She then crowned it with the same
wreath that Clairon crowned the same bust in 1778,
amidst thousands of spectators. The whole concluded
with some good music by the singers from the Opera.
The masonic temple was splendid; lined with scarlet
cloth, with masonic trophies, &c. We entered under
an arch of drawn swords, and during the ceremony we
had some musical architecture, which brother Clarke
will understand. We took with us the Baron and
Baroness Bonstetten, delightful ylung people, introduced to us by the Duchess of Broglie. Do you know
a Mr. Hodges, who has been introduced here? I hear
he is a brother-in-law of Counsellor Farrell's, your
neighbour. It is said that in France there is no
hospitality: we have found it just the reverse. I
told you in my last we had nine invitations to
v2

292.

DIARY OF

dinner. Well, yesterday we dined at Mr. Cunningham's, to-day Mr. Harvey's (Sunday), for Monday
we have had three dinner invites, and a ball and
concert ; one from Sir James Lawrence, the Commander of Malta, from Mr. and Mrs. Solly, and
from a Mrs. Rawdon. We have accepted Mrs. Solly's,
which came first, and go with them afterwards to the
concert of Mademoiselle de Munk.
It is indeed
requisite that I should go out in the evening, for
I have quite worked myself into headaches and ill
health. In the morning I read and extract history five
or six hours a day, and am obliged to give a great
deal of time to Italian. If I live to accomplish the
work I have now in view, I have done with authorship for the rest of my life, for I am quite worn out.
Do not say to any one I am going to write on Italy,
but to travel for amusement. We shall leave a small
trunk in Paris, in which, with other papers, will be
deposited a sort of joint will of Morgan's and mine;
our plate and papers, will, &c., are in Latouche's
bank. Never give up the key of the closet. Say I
have it, and that the birds are with Sir Charles'
natural history collection, in a place, safe and warm,
chosen by himself. We have had a packet of letters
from Nanny, still at school, in which it seems "she
lives for the fine arts." She says she reads Robertson's " Charles the Fifth," and Johnson's " Poets,"
for recreation; recommends the Cartoons of Raphael

LADY MORGAN.

293

to our notice, and goes to Westminster Abbey for the
sake of the music! What fun it will be to hear all
our 6lves playing and singing together !-I am afraid
they will rather look down upon us. I am delighted
the little girls are making such progress in music. If
I return to odious Dublin 'tis for their sakes, and they
ought to reward me. Has baby got the box of sweetmeats by Mr. Dick? I have sent he poor dears nothing but trash, because I am too poor and the risk is
too great to send anything of the least value. I sent
Polichinelle to Colburn for baby. I had a handsome ribbon for Molly, but Mr. Barnewell went away
without calling. I will try and get Clarke's book
translated into French, and have sent to London for
it. Miorgan's is gone to press; and the bad translation of" Florence" is selling away, and the good one
is not out. Did you see the description of me in the

the

dialogue between me and a
Madame de -- ? I need not say this is all an invention of Croker, who is rather angry. Tell Mr.
Henry Grattan that the letter he wrote to me from
Calais is only, by some mistake, just arrived; that I
am much flattered by the influence he attributes to
me; that I will use it certainly in his favour with
Monsieur Denon, and mention to him Mr. G---'s
wish relative to the medals; but at present poor
Denon is too ill to be spoken to. Morgan has been
attending him this month night and day, and he is so
" Courier,"

and

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grateful, you have no idea. He has just sent him a
present of a most beautiful and valuable bronze bust,
and given me a collection of his own engravings, with
his own picture done in Sevres porcelain. We pay
here, for a first floor, precisely what we get for our
whole house in Dublin, so that we give the taxes, and
the use of our furniture, for nothing. We are obliged
to be very economical. I am still in my Dublin
tabinette gowns, and have not bought a single gown
since I have been in France, but one black one for
evening, and I have nothing else.
S.

M.

DEAR CLARKE,

You will see by this letter that Syd has overworked herself and is nervous.
The weather has
been unfavourable, and she has taken but little exercise; and you know how easily she is upset when
that is the case. 1 think you had better burn this
letter. She was annoyed at Livy's account of the
Dublin folk, and took it in her head that you and the
children would suffer for her sake, and this has put
her sadly out of spirits, as you will perceive. I am
vexed and very angry that Miss Dworries you.
For God's sake keep matters there as quiet as possible,
for I by no means wish to be recalled for the present.
I have not yet been able to obtain any satisfactory
answer to your questions. The prussic acid, prepared
according to Scheele's process, is given in doses of 3 j

LADY MORGAN.

295

in 3iv mixtures, i. e., xv to xx grs. at a time, in the
second stage of phthisis, as a calming medicine; and
laurel water in still larger doses in palpitations, with
what success I don't know. The prussic acid, in a
state of purity, is the most active and instantaneous
poison that exists; and as it seems only to be used as
a substitute for opium, I have no great confidence in
it, and should be loath to push its use upon the sole
authority of Majendie, who is a dashing experimentalist, who kills more dogs than he cures patients.
It requires, besides, great accuracy in the preparation,
and does not keep. On the whole, I would advise
you not to meddle with it till my next, when I will
endeavour to be more precise. The recent death of
Mont6gre is not only a great loss to us socially, but
to me in particular; all my acquaintance among the
doctors are so high up the stick, they have no time to
Tell Dr. Pentland that I
spare to answer inquiries.
have been disappointed of an introduction to Dubois,
owing to the sickness of a friend, and that I have
been too much occupied to make the necessary researches, but that I hope before I leave Paris to be
able to give him some information. Apropos to that,
I hope to set out for Italy by the middle of March,
when I expect my book will be finished. It has excited here a very favourable notice, and will, I hope,
make its way very well at home. The critics seem
not to know what to make of it; there is, however, a

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Cambridge doctor of divinity writing against the system, so I shall have to go to war I suppose. Have you
got it for Samuel yet ? I wrote to Colburn to send it
you. Send it to Staunton, and get him to say something of it. Did he ever get the "Philosophy ?" and
did he notice it in the "Journal?" Tell him that
French news gets to London by express much sooner
than by the post, and on that account I have not put
him to the expense of postage. A thousand thanks
for your trouble in my money matters. If you want
the needful, send in the amount of my debt and I will
give you an order on Latouche's bank. Will you
have the goodness to write in my name to Howling,
my landlord, and tell him that I shall be away longer
than I expected, but that if he wishes to have the
rent of Kildare Street, you will let me know, and I
will make arrangements for his receiving it ? You will
get his direction at Latouche's. His name is James
Howling, attorney, &c. I beg your pardon for all
this trouble. My love to the children, and my respectful compliments to the young man in the town
below.
Tell Livy I hope she is going on with
"Werter," which is just in her way, and must succeed. God bless you both!
Yours most affectionately,
C. MORGAN.

Write soon, in order that we may hear from you
before our departure.

LADY MORGAN.

297

P. S.-Morgan was charmed with Syd's attempt at
a printed scrawl, and her notice of him. I would
rather see them than all the world beside, God knows.
I'll write to Mrs. Bushe soon: a thousand loves to
Mrs. Fletcher-cling to such friends! The Honourable K. Hutchinson sat an hour over the fire with
us t'other day, and has been at my Wednesday evenings: he is delightful, she is exemplary in her conduct, and received at the best houses.-S. M.

Lady Morgan to Lady Clarke.
Paris, March 31, 1819.
MY DEAREST Liv,

MR. SKINNER's nephew and Captain Skinner's
takes you this, and has promised to give you all the
news about us, as he was at my last and final soiree. I
begin by answering your last letter received by post.
I never got the letter about the soap and candle fever,
and your critique on "France."
I am charmed it
amused you all, delighted beyond all expression that
you are all so well and prosperous; that my darlings,
whom I love the better the longer I am without
seeing them, are so healthy and good; and that all
bids fair to our happy reunion. Then us old folk
shall dog-trot on together, and enjoy ourselves over
again in the young. I not only sent a very pretty
box of sweetmeats to baby, containing all the royal
family in sugar, and several ingenious bon-bons, by

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Mr. Dick, but two of the prettiest books for the two
girls I had yet met in France; one containing all the
little French plays in use here for children, and the
other " Anecdotes des Enfants c6lkbres." I know Mr.
Dick got them, because I wrote him a letter with
them describing what the packet contained, which my
servant gave to his; and as he did not leave Paris for
two days after, he would of course have written to
me to say no such packet reached him. It is this
uncertainty that prevents me sending you anything
valuable and pretty, to say nothing of the reluctance
which people show to take anything whatever. I now
send a kaleidoscope for your watch, a husband a-piece
in sugar for the young ladies, and a wife for young
Sir Arthur ; but, as his worthy uncle is writing to
him on the subject, I shall say no more on it.
My popularity here increases daily; and, without
either vanity or affectation, my notoriety is now more
a charge and tiresome to me than the profoundest
obscurity could possibly have been. I never know the
enjoyment of one day, one hour to myself. Strangers
of all countries not only write to me to receive them,
but actually force the door, dispute the point with my
servant, enter my room, and then think they excuse
this intrusion by talking to me of my " reputation
European." You have no idea how I pant for silence,
solitude, and a long journey, which, thank heaven, we
are now about to begin. We have been for the last

LADY MORGAN.

299

few weeks in a constant round of gaiety and dissipation. We were at a splendid bal pare at the Prince de
Beauveau's-above three hundred; the most brilliant
women I have yet seen in France, and the freshness
and beauty of the dresses indescribable. A few nights
afterwards we were at a bal masque at the Mareschale
Duchesse de Ragusa's. She not only sent invitations
to ourselves, but, hearing some of my family were
with me, sent invitations for the Miss Owensons
(taking Mrs. Sully, and another pretty woman who
goes out a good deal with me, for my relatives). We
went in black silk domino hoods and masks,-my two
beauties as Tyrolese peasants. I was obliged to unmask from the heat, and soon got a crowd about me.
Some of the Ultras endeavoured to intriguer me, as
it is called here, that is, to tease; but many of the
Liberals said very fine things to me, and so the
account was balanced, The duchess sent Denon to
look for me, to place me near her at supper; but
I was gone, overcome with heat and fatigue. As
a masquerade, though half the company were unmasked, it was dull, and greatly inferior to our Irish
masquerades in point of wit, fun, and humour; but
the splendour of the dressing beggars all idea or
powers of description.
Many of the women had
jewels to the amount of twenty thousand pounds. The
Duchesse de Frejus, a Spanish grandee (as a Virgin
of the Sun) had diamond bracelets on her legs, which

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were no trifles; but, as I am going to write to Mrs.
Fletcher, I will reserve my descriptive powers. In a
freemasons' lodge, the other night, I was introduced
to the Persian ambassador, and had a good deal of
conversation with him. I am going to pay him a
The Patriarch
morning visit in form to-morrow.
of Jerusalem was also present. Their dresses, beards,
&c., &c., were curious among the shaven Frenchmen
and women.
Since my reception as a freemason,
almost all the lodges have invited us round, and given
us most splendid entertainments. Saturday last I
went to one without Morgan (who was engaged in his
own lodge getting a fifth degree), accompanied by Mrs.
Solly, whom I have made a mason also. We were
left in an anteroom whilst the lodge were informed of
our arrival, and were seated over the fire alone, and
gossiping, when, to my utter confusion, a deputation
was sent to receive me, in grand costume, and an oration, which lasted twenty minutes, was pronounced by
a master mason. Of course they expected a flourishing
answer; instead of which I was seized with one of my
unhappy laughing fits, not a little increased by Mrs.
Solly's face of wonder and awe. I was then told I was
to be received with acclamation, and three rounds of
applause; and, with this comfortable assurance, I was
led into the masonic hall, amidst two hundred persons,
who all rose to receive me, crying out, "Honneur!
honneur !" There were several Irish and English pre-

LADY MORGAN.

301

sent, who seemed astounded; among others, a nephew
of Mrs. J. Featherston, a Mr. Gray.* Imagine our astonishment, the other day, when in walked Colonel Belli!
Never was there a happy man in this world before!
He has got a mission to visit some military works on
the Continent with a German friend of ours, General
Chiffinger.
Fortunately I had a number of engagements on my hands, and I took him everywhere with
me-the first night to the Marchioness de Villette's,
where he heard a delicious concert, Harderman at the
harp, Frederick on the horn, Paer at the piano, and
all the first artists at Paris ; the next night, to a party
at Denon's, where he saw Humboldt and all the
learned and literary; and he concluded with my own
soire'e, which, as it was known to be my last, was so
crowded, that they not only stood in the anteroom,
but on the stairs. Madame Gael, the famous composer
of " Pescator del ondi," and many operas, sang for me
-a great treat ! as did a little Russian princess from
the shores of the Black Sea; and, to add to my
congres, I had the Prince (or hospodar) of Moldavia, a
Greek chief, in such a dress! He was attended by
one. of his gentlemen, a Greek also. When he came
in he took off a beautiful ermine mantle, which
Morgan, on taking from him, discovered to be of
white and gold tissue. I never saw such a beau,
though he has his head shaved, and a beard as black
* Brother-in-law to Dr. Howley, Archbishop of Canterbury.

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as jet down to his middle. He admired the beauty
of my Englishwomen greatly.
Lady Leitrim and
Lady M. Clements, with about a dozen very pretty
English and Irish women, were present. I introduced him to D6non, Constant, Langlois, and all
the learned; for he speaks French beautifully.
He (the hospodar) is a sensible, agreeable man, remarkably handsome, and a good dash of the coxcomb.
Belli pretends he cannot speak a word of English.
When he met Lady Leitrim for the first time at my
house, he went up and made her a speech in French.
She laughed amazingly, and we both agreed his head
was turned. When he came to take leave of us he
was quite affected. He said he was going to travel,
to make himself more worthy of me. Of the many
persons, Irish and English, whom I have pushed on
in society, he is the first that ever testified the least
gratitude, and he by far overrates the little I have
done or could do for him. He is an excellent and
delightful creature.
Madame Gael made a concert
expressly for me last night, and we had the pick and
choice singers of the two great operas. I never heard
finer music. Ponchard (the hero d'opera here) and
three more sang a Swiss glee, which would set you
mad. It is not yet published. We have bought a
good, comfortable travelling carriage, a German berline
(barouche). It was absolutely necessary for Italy and
crossing the Alps. For every town we shall pass

LADY MORGAN.

303

through we have not only letters of introduction,
but persons of the first rank have written to our
Italian friends here, to say they are waiting to receive
us, and do the honours by us. Apropos d'Jtaliens.
About the latter end of July, two very distinguished
Italians will present themselves at your door. They
have letters from me, from Lord and Lady Leitrim, and
many others, for Ireland; for they are going to make
a tour of Great Britain, for the purpose of introducing
English improvements on their Italian estates. They
are both young, noble, rich, handsome, and accomplished. The elder, the Marquis Capponi, is a Florentine nobleman; and the Palace Capponi is among the
sights at Florence. If all the women don't fall in
love with him there is no longer any susceptibility in
the sex to Brutus' heads and brilliant eyes. He has
been amazingly run after here, and is not only a
delightful creature, but one of those droll dogs and
playful persons that we used to like, when we did like
anything-alas ! now some time back. The Count di
VenetianVelo is a grand seigneur di
quite a boy in his gay and pleasant manners. They
are both great friends of ours, and have been particularly kind to us in giving letters for Italy, &c., &c.
They will only stay a few days in Dublin, on their
.way to Killarney. Will you give them either a
breakfast or a little party? and will Clarke tell them
what they ought to see ? I have given them letters

Vicenza-a

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for Mr. Bushe and Mr. H. Rowan. They have letters
for Lord Charlemont, from Lady Leitrim, and for Lord
Cloncurry from me. They already know the young
ladies, and I dare say we shall one day be paying a
visit to Sydney, Marchioness of Capponi, and Josey,
Countess di Velo ! I am afraid I must also trouble
you with a very amiable Pole-who wears one handsome ear-ring-a Count Borewski. If you give him
a breakfast you will do all that is expected, and I
think they will all amuse you. They all speak French
perfectly, and begin to speak " a leetel Englis," but
will be adepts before they reach Dublin. I am sorry
to disturb your classes, but I cannot help it: they are
all so civil, and are so anxious to see a sister of mine;
for, truth to tell, I am a favourite with them of no
small importance. I send you some of our freemasons' papers, and an account of our lodge, with the
ovation to me in it. You may make use of it if you
like. As to politics, the Ultras are beaten in every
election. Several of my liberal Wednesday-evening
guests have been made peers, and our friend Benjamin Constant is elected Member of the House of
Commons. The good cause is gaining ground with
immense strides. We are. only detained here by our
two translations, which appear next week. We shall
leave this on the 4th. Our first stop will be at Turin,
where we shall only remain a few days. So do not
be uneasy if you do not hear from us till we reach

305

LADY MORGAN.

Milan. I shall write to Mrs. Fletcher, to whom I
have long owed a letter, the day before I leave Paris,
and you will have our address in her letter. Did
you get a letter, sent under cover to Mr. Crew, for
fun, a fortnight back? Henry is well, and making
immense strides in his education, if reports be true.
The way to get the children to speak French is to
make them write down sentences.
You are quite right to cultivate friends. I met a
son of Mr. H. Hutchinson's at Madame de Villette's
concert. Sir Charles had a good deal of conversation
with him, and liked him much. God bless you all,
and kisses to all the darlings! Pray take care of all
my freemason papers. We were very civil to Dalton,
and think he might have gone to see you.
Remember me particularly to Mrs. H. Bushe. If
she does not make Capponi in love with her, she is
not the woman I took her for. Love to Macarthys
and Doyles, and say something civil to Mr. H. Rowan,
if you see him.
S. M.
Rue des Saussaye, No. 13.

M. de CONSTANT presents his best complintents to
Lady Morgan, and will be extremely obliged to her
ladyship, if she will be so kind as to let him know
where the ball of this evening, to which Madame
Constant was, together with Lady Morgan, invited

x

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last Tuesday at the Freemasons' Assembly at Madame de Villette's, is to take place.
If this note
should not find Lady Morgan at home, a line of
answer would be a great kindness.

Diary.-We have bought a delightful travelling
carriage, a berline, to perform our venturous journey
in. It is German built, and is furnished with a cupboard, which we are advised to store with "the eatables and the drinkables," for the state of the roads, and
the misery of the inns, when once we leave France,
are represented as most desperate !
Diary.-April 3, 1819.-I have just received a little
note from Humboldt, to say that he and Denon will be
des n6tres at ten o'clock this evening, to give us their
parting benedictions, and some little renseignements besides, not forgetting St. Peter's chair!
I can well understand Queen Mary's feelings in
pronouncing "adieu, belle France !" and so adieu,
chore Paris!
To have Humboldt and Denon with us the night
before our departure for Italy is de bon augure.
I undertake this awful journey with fear, if not with
misgivings.
We are neither of us well, and may
never see again those who made life precious to us!

LADY MORGAN.

307

Geneva.-Hotel de Balance, 1819.-I am always
astonished to find myself in a place where I never was
before, and when I write "Geneva" at the top of my
page je n'en reviens pas. It is a new impression, very
new indeed, as I have no antecedents or interest about
the city of Calvin and the " Caverne de bons gens" of
Lord Byron. The first new impression of this stern,
stone town is striking, not imposing. The tall stiff
edifices of many stories, grim and gray, and yet
which, oh, sacrilege of sentiment! are built from the
Rock of La Meilleraye; the narrow, steep, ill-paved
street with their 6chappes gleaming here and there
above "the blue waters of the arrowy Rhone," and
the white peaks of the snowy Jura; the black cathedral
with its spires lost in the clouds, and eight hundred
years upon its venerable head; the pavements once
stained by the blood of the first reformers, who preceded Calvin and made head against the stronghold of
Catholicism, as written in "Les Actes et Gestes merveilleux de la cit6 de Geneve, nouvellement convertis
a l'Evangile," etc., par Antoine Froment et Nicholas
Farel, two young French preux, in the cause of Reformation, and, above all, the ancient title of Republic,
give it an interest and dignity not always allowed to
it, and strongly contrasts with the fantastic and
historical Paris I have left, that city of pleasant
mimoires ! I really could, although unused "to the
melting mood," drop a tear over the memory of these
x2

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young reformers, who had NOT "taken the tide at the
ebb leading on to fortune." Nevertheless they opened
a highway in the desert of opinion to the spiritual
despotism of the cooper's son, Lucien Chavin, (dignified by its Latin translation into Calvinus,) long
before he had lighted the fagots that reduced to ashes
the brave and bold Servetus, whose moral courage
in denying what he did not believe, at the risk of
torture and a fiery death, was a grand sacrifice to
truth, of which man is scarcely worthy. So glory be
to Froment and Farel, for whom the women fought
nobly in the streets of Geneva, whilst the men cried,
"a haute voix, confusement, ' Au Rh6ne ! au Rhone

Tue, tue les Lutheriens !' " But at this rate we shall
never get on.
Well, here pitch we our tent to-day-but where tomorrow ? cela depend.
IHiere we are, established at the Hotel de Balance,
which, from its coarse, uncomfortable appearance, may
have been, in the sixteenth century, the "Hostel Tour
de Perce," where the good Froment took up his first
lodging in Geneva. Still with all its deficiencies, this
old inn, where every room has its bed, and no salon to
be had for love or money, has an interest for us. The
more showy hotel, the "Secheron," where Byron and
Shelley first met together, would not have suited us so
well. We are in the very rooms occupied by Madame
de Stael on her occasional visits to Geneva from Copet,

LADY MORGAN.

309

and in which she held her bureaux d'esprit, and,
above all, where she celebrated her gestes de coquetterie with the handsome young De Rocca, her future
husband.
Diary, April.-We have had lots of visitors, who
" came like shadows," but who "did not so depart ;" for
their names, as they were announced, realised many a
pleasant dream and hope, that, "posters of the sea and
land" as we are, we might possibly meet them in the
course of our travels. To begin, there have been Bonstetten, Dumont, Pictet, the Neckers, and Sismondi, to
call on us. Sismondi was introduced to us in Paris by
Denon. I remember D6non came limping up to me at
the English embassy, and on my asking him what was
the matter, he replied, "Sismondi, qui m'a 6cras6 le
pied avec ses dix-huit volumes." There was a little
malignity in this. Denon, who wrote in epigrams, was
possibly a little jealous of the historian, whose "dixhuit volumes" were then running their course and
dispensing knowledge over all Europe. We improved
our acquaintance begun in Paris; he was simple,
gay, and, in short, bon cormpagnon. The Baron
Bonstetten overwhelms us with hospitality and kindness, for he has invited us to dine with him every day
while we stay here. He is an old darling, fresh,
frisky, and full of agreeable conversation. Figurezvous, he was a correspondent of the poet Gray, so

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I preserve one of his notes to me, though it is only
the offer of his company and char-a-banc for a

drive.*
From Baron de Bonstetten to Lady Morgan.
Wednesday, April, 1819.

As the heavens have moderated, I propose, my
lady, to pay you a visit about one o'clock in my open
carriage, and we will go and look at the fields to give
you an inclination to come and see us. I love Geneva
still more since I see you are esteemed there. They
are not too hospitable there to les heureux, and you
see how they treat you there, after my own heart.
DE BONSTETTEN.

He is one of the great notables here, and author of
many learned as well as pleasant works. His "Recherches sur la Nature et les Lois de 1' Imagination," is
in great repute among the metaphysicians of Paris.
At home he is a grand homme de province, for here
are his worldly titles of distinction: Ancien Baillif de
Nyort, de l'Academie Royale des Sciences de Copenhague et de la Societe de Physique et d'Histoire
Naturelle a Geneve. One of his titles, however, to our
consideration at present, is that he understands giving
a good dinner "car le v6ritable grand genie est celui
l'on dine" (bien)!
* Byron says of him--" I have met at Copet and elsewhere,

Gray's

correspondent, the Baron Bonstetten. He is a fine, lively old man, and
much esteemed for his correspondence. He is of good report, and everybody insists on addressing volumes of letters to him. He is a good deal at
Copet. I send you afac-simile of his writing."

LADY MORGAN.

311

Diary.--Dined yesterday at our dear Baron's;
company-Professor de Candolle, the great botanist,
simple and clever; Monsieur Rossi, who left us early,
and whom I did not like, but "the reason why I
cannot tell;" a sort of Italian exile, but for what
cause no one. seems to know; he is, however, our host
tells us, the coqueluchon of all the precieuses of Geneva
(no sinecure); Pictet, who holds a high position here,
intellectual and industrial; and, best of all, Dumont,
who speaks English with the accent of Lansdowne
House, where he was long resident preceptor of Lord
Henry Petty, and French as one who frequented the
circle of Mirabeau, many of whose speeches he
is said to have written. He is only lately arrived
from England. We had some dowager savantes to

tea, who dealt largely in the preterpluperfect and
subjunctive moods. When they, and all but ourselves
and a few choice spirits, had retreated, we fell into
discourse on Madame de Stael and her clique at Copet,
including Lord Byron. Bonstetten mentioned instances of her want of tact and her great naivete, which
were extraordinary. Eloquent as she was when she
had a clear stage (and she generally made one for
herself), in desultory conversation she said the
strangest things. "I was present that day," said he,
"when, across a crowded dinner table at Copet, she
asked Lord Byron whether he was not the original
of Lady C. Lamb's portrait of Glenarvon.
He
answered coolly, 'C'est possible, Madame, mais je

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She put a still more delicate
n'ai jamais pose.'
question to him, by touching on his liaison with the
person who was afterwards the mother of Allegra,
and asking about her native country, a subject of
endless cancans here.
" And who was the mother ?" asked Dumont.
"There was a hint," said the baron, "that a lady who
stopped at the 'Secheron' had a philosophical desire
to make the'noble poet's acquaintance; she succeeded,
but was suspected in consequence of a virtu de moins.
But the mother of Allegra really was, I believe, a
young person in the suite of. the Shelleys, though no
relation of theirs. She belonged to nobody, and the
amiable Mrs. Shelley had offered her a home, when
she had scarcely one for herself; but she gave her
at least what she could-her protection."
"As to Byron," said Morgan, who was always up in
arms for Byron, "rebellion lay in his way, and he
found it."
"So much for the philosophy of morals, or the
Morals of Philosophy,'" said I, taking up the book,
which was lying on the table. The conversation then
turned on Mirabeau.
Diary, April, 1819.-Another dinner to-day at the
Hotel Bonstetten. It is the perfection of conversational enjoyment-light, though literary; desultory,
but always interspersed with just enough of personal
anecdote and animadversion to render it piquant-for

LADY MORGAN.

313

I fear there is a trifle of amiable malignity in our
imperfect composition, which is not displeased with
the relation of the faults or follies even of our friends.
La Rochefoucault even goes further, and says there
is something in "les malheurs de nos meilleurs amis
qui ne nous diplait pas ;" and the subjects of our
discussion, charming as they were, lent themselves
not a little to this innate tendency of our nature.
The baron's silhouette of the Lady of Copet, though
it stopped short of the caricata, and still more of the
caricatura,was certainly very amusing. "Vanity and
good-nature," he said, "prompted her to' se meler de
tout,' even to the undertaking the reconciliation of
Lord and Lady Byron, when both parties would have
been most averse to the success of her attempt. I
read her letter addressed to Lady Byron. It was most
eloquent, as she intended it to be; but it answered no
purpose, I believe, beyond displaying this power, which
I once saw her exercise upon her coachman, who had
overturned her into a ditch ! When he appeared
before her next morning, she asked him solemnly,
' Are you aware of the importance of the life you
The man, with much simplicity,
endangered ?'
answered that he was not; but she continued her
peroration all the same. Corinna never did better:
the man retired, satisfied at not losing his place,
but. unconvinced of his error, protesting it was an
accident, and arising from no want of skill."

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Bonstetten was with her when she first saw Rocca,
and when he made his first impression, which ended
in their marriage. " Talma, said he, " had arrived
at Lyons to play a few nights at the theatre. Madame de Stael proposed that a party of us should fill
a char-a-banc, and go and see his first representation.
We had scarcely settled ourselves in our Box when
a strikingly handsome young man appeared in the
one adjoining. His fine head immediately caught the
attention of Madame de Stael. Germanicus pleaded
in vain--Talma was forgotten.
At the end of the
first act, having found out that he was a M. Rocca,
well known, and much considered at Geneva, she sent
me to offer him a place in our Loge. ' Le coup flit
parti!' She turned her back on the stage, and talked
to him all the rest of the evening.
C'etait Venus toute entire

a

sa proie attachie.

And Byron, who often afterwards met him at Copet,
fostered her prepossession by his own liking and admiration of the young artist. After their marriage
they removed to Paris, where they both fell into that
state of ill -health from which neither ever perfectly
recovered."
I mentioned an anecdote of an English friend of
mine going to pay them a visit, and finding them at a
dinner of invalid dishes, in vain pressing each other to
eat. "It was Death and the Lady," said he. They
were both looking worn and depressed in spirits; but

LADY MORGAN.

315

on the Due de Richelieu being announced, Madame de
Stael flushed up, and recovered somewhat of her
wonted energy. A duke, and such a duke, was to her
a potent elixir.
Dumont, whose manner is the most charming imaginable, did not lead the conversation to Mirabeau,
though he responded freely to our inquiries on a subject on which he was, of all persons, most competent to
afford information. He gave some admirable touches
relative to that great genius, who had profited so
largely by his friend's superior judgment, as also did
Bentham. Perhaps never were two men so opposite
in their qualities brought into such close juxtaposition
by the presiding judgment of one differing from both,
and who yet translated their crude effusions even to
themselves, and may be said to have edited them both.
Mirabeau, the Demosthenes of the Revolution, was a
man of great power and few sympathies. His greatest
faculty was his ready adaptation of the ideas of others,
and making them his own through the aid of his
brilliant eloquence, surpassing that of all his contemporaries.
Never in earnest but when his own
ambition was concerned, without principle, but with a
kindling enthusiasm which served the purposes of his
oratory. He sometimes touched on the very verge of
meanness, and, though careless of money, was unscrupulous as to the means by which he obtained it.
The Cataline of modern times " alieni appetens, lui

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profusus !" He was the last rejeton of the bold bad
race which he represented, in his prodigious physical
force and moral delinquency-a type of the noble
freebooters of the feudal ages, who founded the nobility of Europe, even though
. . . . " Their blood
Had crept through scoundrels ever since the flood."

It was a remarkable thing that Mirabeau stood
more in awe of La Fayette than of any other human
power during his own struggle for supremacy. He used
to say he always saw before his eyes "La Fayette dictateur." He feared his great moral qualities, as La
Falyette feared the influence of Mirabeau's brilliant
demoralisation. At one of his earliest conferences
with La Fayette, the latter declared that they must
renounce all projects of persecution against the Queen,
if they wished to preserve any relations with him
"Eh bien! general," answered Mira(La Fayette).
beau, with his jaunty air, "puisque vous le voulez,
qu'elle vive ! Une reine humiliee peut etre utile, mais
une reine 4gorgee n'est bonne qu'a faire composer une
mauvaise tragedie a ce pauvre Guibert."* This mot
was one of the many in which Mirabeau took pains to
appear worse than he was. It was quoted by the
Queen herself to La Fayette some months after, to
his astonishment. It did not prevent the union of
* Le Comte de Guibert, the celebrated but faithless lover of Mademoiselle
de l'Espinasse, was author of several bad tragedies and of some good
works on military strategy.

LADY MORGAN.

317

Mirabeau with the royalist party at a later period,
when he himself stipulated for the interests of the
Queen in the presence of La Fayette.
Sismondi spoke but little, but what he said was
always to the purpose; and an attempt made by
Dumont to mystify him on the subject of his waltzing
with the Princess of Wales at Naples, he played off well
and good-humouredly. Parpolitesse, the conversation
It
turned upon his admirable " History of France." "
has but one fault, mon cher," said Dumont, "it is too
truthful, and the French never tolerate a historian
who is not their eulogist. They like the man 'qui
fait son histoire,' and not him who records." I could
not help telling him that I wished he had been less
faithful on one point. His discovery and publication
of the original letter of Francis I., after the Battle of
Pavia, which had destroyed the effect of his supposed
terse note to his mother, "Madame, tout est perdu fors
l'honneur !" The letter, as he gives it at length, is
feeble and commonplace, and winds up thus: "Enfin,
Madame, tout est perdu fors l'honneur et la vie."
When we adjourned to the salon we found there
a most agreeable lady, whom I took for the pleasantest
of all pleasant things, a pleasant Frenchwoman; but
she was a Genevese, Madame Revilliod,* a lady of high
* 1858.-I received a few months back two very curious and interesting
works revised and published in all the old forms of Genevese typography,
of the year of grace 1532. One called "Les Actes and Gestes, merueilleux
de la Cite' de Geneue nouellement Conuertie 'a 1l'Evangile, by Antoine Froment," and the other "Avis et devis de la Source de l'Idolatrie et Tyrannie
I

318

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descent, a qualification of which the Republicans have
the highest appreciation.
Madame Necker,* the
claqueur of her cousin, Madame de Stael, of whom she
talks incessantly, and her husband, who would talk
too if he were allowed, but she always cut him short
with "Attendez done, mon ami," came in shortly
after. Rossit also dropped in, but, I know not how
it is, his presence always casts a chill over the social
circle. There is something louche about him, which
does not accord with the abandon of careless, intimate
intercourse.
Morgan, as usual, got into a corner with Monsieur
Pictet, the head of the haute classe industrielle here.
He (Morgan) has already made a precis of the statistics of Geneva that is quite wonderful. How strongly
and finely opposed is his clear Anglo-Saxon intellect
and profound reflection, to my flimsy, fussy, flirty,
Papale," par Francois Bonivard, both "mis en lumiere" by Gustave
Revilliod, the grandson of the accomplished lady mentioned above, and
all sent to me by the author. Whilst writing this note I received, by a
melancholy coincidence, an "a faire part" of the death of this accomplished
gentleman, from the members of his family.
* Since this was written, Madame Necker has come out as an author of
note (in Geneva). Her specialiteis education, but as her dogma is "toute
est education dans la vie humaine;" there is no more to be said. Shakspeare educated in a tailor's shop, or Voltaire bound apprentice to a shoemaker, however well educated in their trades, would probably have done
no credit to their preceptors of the shears and the lapstone. Nature very
early in human life announces her intentions, "et chassez la Nature, elle
revient au galop." -1858.
t This unfortunate gentleman was assassinated at Rome-almost the
only crime that stained the Italian Revolution of 1848, and generally
attributed to private vengeance.

LADY MORGAN.

319

Celtic temperament, by courtesy called Mind; which
gives me the title among my dear compatriots of being
such a "talented creature.*"
Diary, April, 1819.--This morning we paid our
business visit to M. Bautte, with the intention of purchasing a watch. The baron was to pick us up in his
char-a-banc to take us on an excursion. It happens
that this great diamond merchant lives next door to
our hotel. We straggled into a most uncouth building, crossing a flagged hall to ascend a rude stone
staircase, and so to an open door giving us ingress to
a sort of anteroom. Within this was the room containing the mines of Golconda. It was surrounded
with counters, enclosing in their glass cases, jewels and
trinkets of all descriptions.
Caskets of gold and
coffers of mother-of-pearl, studded with rubies and filled
with bijouterie to stock a hareem or corrupt a ministry.
Behind the principal counter stood a grave and
very gentlemanlike personage, listening, with polite
indifference, to the observations of a group of pretty,
elegantly-dressed Englishwomen, one of whom he
addressed as your Grace. The clerk, who came for* Dr. Southey, in the "Doctor," written so many years later, alludes
in a lively manner to this contrast between the intellectual qualifications
of myself and my husband; but I have had more than justice done to me
by the public, and he far less, because "il de'vangait son siecle." To write
up to your own age, and not beyond it, is a great piece of luck. But
every one writes as he can, for who can "preach a pulse to reason," the
rebellious mechanical thing !

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ward on our entrance, took him our cards as presented by Baron Bonstetten, when, to our surprise,
leaving the Lady Rodolpha Lumbercourt and her
august mother to the mercies of a clerk, he hurried
to us, and with infinite courtesy handed us chairs,
and sat down himself, saying, that before we began to
talk business he must thank me for the pleasure he
A very agreeable
had had in reading my "France."
conversation ensued, which was interrupted by the
entrance of a most picturesque and splendid-looking
stranger in Greek costume. M. Bautte introduced
him at once as the Prince Mavrocordato, who, like the
jeweller, did us the honour to recognise us in our
professional capacity. He spoke French very well,
and Italian with fluency. He said he had to thank
me, as a Greek, for " Ida of Athens," and many other
civil things which I shall omit on this occasion only:
for I have no intention of sparing myself in general
any opportunities of doing the honours by myself!
Before our council broke up, Bautte had engaged
my husband and myself to meet, at dinner next
day, the Ilospodar of Moldavia and the Prince
Mavrocordato, his friend and secretary.* We gladly
accepted the attractive invitation.
Diary.-This morning M. Bautte's handsome carriage called to convey us to his villa situated in one
* Byron in his Journal says of him, "Mavrocordato is worthy of the
best times of Greece. Patriotism and virtue are not yet quite extinct."

321

LADY MORGAN.

of the most beautiful spots in this beautiful neighbourhood. But what was scenery to us compared to
the persons who peopled it with forms belonging
more fitly to the Mille et Une Nuits!
The Hospodar's party occupied two open carriages; their Albanian servants swinging behind in
costumes that would have made the fortune of the
Bal de l'Opera.
The occupants within made two
splendid groups.
In the first, the Hospodar and
the princesses - his wife and daughter - and two
beautiful children; in the second, two veiled ladies,
with the Prince Constantine, his son, and the Prince
Mavrocordato; all in their national dresses, glittering
in the sun with gold and jewels; and the personal
beauty of all, especially of the men, was most striking.
We were presented in due form, and received with
graceful courtesy-the prince and his son speaking
French and Italian, the ladies nothing but Greek.
Dr. Johnson was not more astounded at the French of
the little children in France than we were to hear
these young Hellenists lisping their vulgar tongue.
The ladies placed themselves as if they squatted on
the sofas, and during all the day, at table and elsewhere, they retained their Albanian attendants, with
whom the children seemed to keep up a great deal of
fun. The entertainment was adapted to the guests,
and was both sumptuous and elegant, and the scene
and circumstances recalled to our minds the meeting
Y

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of Prince Ali Ebn Becar with his adored Schemselnasar,
the favourite of the Sultan.
Before the evening
ended, we had got into so easy an intimacy with our
illustrious convives, as to undertake to bespeak horses
for their carriages, from Geneva to Susa, on the
sunny side of the Alps, where we gave each other
rendezvous for a few days later.
But what brought these illustrious oriental potentates to Geneva, the cold and the formal ? Here is
their story. The Prince Caradja was a victim of the
recent intrigues of the Ottoman Court, and was dashed
from the summit of imperial favour by one of those
coups de foudre which despotism in all climes and ages
has been prone to wield. He was ordered to quit his
pashalic by the very shortest process-the bowstring.
The officers had already arrived within sight of his
castle, when arrangements were made for their reception which saved his head at the expense of theirs.
His people surrounded and put to death the messengers of his doom, while the Hospodar fled with his
family to the frontiers, and proceeded to Geneva, where
much of the wealth he had accumulated was already in
the hands of M. Bautte, in the shape of jewels. Some
had been sent to this celebrated jeweller to be embodied in a magnificent piece of bijouterie, intended
for a present to his capricious Sultan. His great
alarm on first arriving was lest this imperial gift should
have been already despatched to Constantinople.

LADY MORGAN.

323

From her Excellency Madame Tricoupi to Lady Morgan.
Portland Place, January 1, 1857.

MY LADY,

with whom you were
acquainted in Italy, was Hospodar of Wallachia. In
his flight from that principality, he was accompanied
by the Princess Helena, his wife; the Princess Rallon,
his daughter; the Prince Constantine, his son; the
Baron Argyropoulo, his son-in-law; the Postelaine
Mavrocordato, the Aga Vlangali, and a small number
of servants.
SOPHIA TRICOUPI.
PRINCE JAMES CARADJA,'

From Lady Morgan to Lady Clarke.
Geneva, April 30th, 1819.

I THINK I see you open your big eyes when you
open this letter, and I suppose that I am about to realise
the old story of Constantinople. I scarcely believe
myself that I am writing to you from the Lake of
Geneva; and now, to tell you how I got here. We
left Paris with infinite regret, for the kindness and
attention of all our friends seemed to redouble at the
moment of our departure.

We set off, however,

* Having the honour of knowing her Excellency the lady of the present
Greek minister at the Court of London, I wrote to beg of her to write me
the names accurately of my distinguished acquaintance the family of the
Prince Caradja. Madame Tricoupi is the sister of the celebrated Mavrocordato mentioned here, whose society we frequently enjoyed during our
residence in Italy.

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under good auspices, for Humboldt and Dnon sat
with us till two in the morning, and we were off
at six. We were five mortal days going to Lyons,
though we went as fast as French post-horses and a
light carriage could take us. The three first days were
through a most dreary country, for vineyards and
corn-fields at this season are by no means amusing,
the vine-grounds being nothing but black earth and
dry sticks until the middle of summer. The eternal
plains of Burgundy (Lower) are literally the plains of
Tipperary, which they resemble; and dreary villages
and bad inns render the scene truly Irish; add to this,
the cold was excessive, and the rain, thunder, and
lightning incessant; such lightning, too, as would
have done your heart good-white as snow, quite in a
new genre. From the third day, however, to our
arrival at the ancient and curious city of Autun all
cleared up. It was a succession of novel and beautiful
scenery, particularly in the Beaujolois and the neighbourhood of Macon.
On a Sunday morning on
the summit of the hill that commands the most beautiful scenery that can be imagined we met two
peasant girls, that might have been angels dropped
from heaven, for all we knew to the contrary, for
they were the prettiest and oddest-looking creatures
I ever saw. Imagine a costume composed of a black
dress, trimmed curiously with scarlet velvet, a
stomacher of velvet, embroidered in gold and silver,

LADY MORGAN.

325

a scarlet apron, a high lace frill round the neck, the
hair plaited back with three rows of black ribbon tied
in large bunches under the ears, a sort of little fly
cap at the very back of the head, and a silk hat about
the size of a breakfast-plate on he very point of the
cap. Our surprise ceased sooner than our admiration,
for we found, as we advanced in the country, the
whole female population of the Beaujolois in the
same costume.
It was late at night when we arrived at Lyons, and
as this most singular town slopes down from the
mountains tothe banks of the Rhone and Saone, as it
is scarcely lighted, we felt as if we were driving into
some old city composed of prisons and fortresses:
the street only admitted in some places the carriage
to pass through; and what with the sense of our loneliness, so far from home, exhaustion, and fatigue, I
felt rather depressed when we drove up to a great
gloomy building which the postilion told us was the
hotel. Morgan stayed to take care of the baggage,
and I followed the porter, who led the way, with a
miserable candle, up immense stone stairs and across
an open corridor, at the end of which he showed me
just such an apartment as is described in the castle
of Udolpho. It was too immense to be more than
guessed at, and cold and dark beyond all endurance. I
begged for some corner, anything that was small,
within hearing of the inhabitants of the house, if

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there were any, and not separated from the main
building by this gallery; and so I was conducted to
a smaller room in the interior of the building, which
small apartment was about the size of your house and
mine together. I went to bed most depressed, and
in admiration of your stay-at-home wisdom. When I
awoke in the miorning the whole scene was changed.
Our room, which a pair of wax lights left in the
dark at night, was gay and handsome, hanging over
the Saone; on the opposite shores the loveliest heights,
green and high, covered with monasteries, plantations,
corn-fields, &c. My hostess told me, too, that I
occupied the room which Madame Recamier and
Madame de Stael inhabited during their exile so
From that moment all
I was on classic ground.
has gone on well. As we only meant to stay at
Lyons a day, and rest ourselves, we brought no letters,
save one to a magistrate, lest we should want advice
or assistance. My magistrate was a nice, gay, pleasant
beau cousin of Madame R6camier; but imagine our
modest surprise when he told us that we had been
expected by all the principal inhabitants of Lyons
for some days back, where I was better known than in
Paris, as he believed there was not a being, that read at
all, that had not read everything I ever wrote; that
the Mayor of the town would wait upon us, the Director
of the museum, public library, &c. &c. The fun of it is
that all this was literally true. Morgan found "Miss

LADY MORGAN.

327

Florence " lying on the table of the chef de police when
he went for the passport. The mayor, a Royalist and
man of rank, gave us up his box at both the theatres
while we remained (and these boxes were on the stage,
draped with silk, &c.). M. Artaud, who is at Lyons
what Dnon was at Paris, showed us all the antiquities
and curiosities; and Mons. and Madame Casinove,
the first people of the town, made an assembly and
concert for us; in short, I thought we should never
get away; and if I had not come to Geneva, I should
say I never anywhere met the same cordial heartwhole kindness I found at Lyons. For Geneva,
however, we at last set off instead of going by Chamberry; influenced in our change of plan partly by
gratitude, partly by curiosity, and partly by the hope
which was now held out to us by every one of crossing
the Alps by the Simplon, instead of Mont Cenis. To
explain the word gratitude to you, we learnt from
some Genevese ladies at Lyons that we were expected
at Geneva; that the worthy Republicans were determined to do the honours by us, and that the Baron
Bonstettin, one of the first men in the town, and one
of the most delightful and cultivated writers of
Europe (whom, by-the-by, you will see quoted in the
last number of the "Edinburgh Review" with honour), was resolved to take us completely to himself!
Geneva is two days' journey from Lyons; it is a
sort of cross road through Mount Jura and the Lesser

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Alps-and such a road ! It would be utterly impossible to give you any idea of this journey in a letter,
or of the deep interest we took in all we saw and
heard, for, as we passed, we stopped at every posthouse and village. We were frequently obliged to
alight, and walk over the magnificent heights of
Mount Jura. We nearly crossed the whole of Mount
Cedron on foot, and I literally talked myself from
Lyons to Geneva, asking and gossiping wherever I
could understand the patois of the country or make
my own patois understood. We arrived at Geneva at
sunset; the snows of Mont Blanc, rising above a
scene of the richest verdure, cultivation, and loveliness, and the lovely lake reflecting a thousand beautiful objects. This was the first time we ever breathed
the free air of a Republic. We were up at six the
next morning; and, as we stood on the shores of
the lake, Morgan exclaimed, "I don't know whether
to cry or dance !" As you know how fond he is of tears
and dancing you may judge his extasy: but the
scene is nothing to the people. The best society is
exclusively composed of men of science and literature,
professors and many celebrated authors. The women
are extremely handsome, well read, and perfectly
English; and to give you some idea of how we have
been received, we have regularly two invitations for
each day. All the clever men fill our room (and it is a
bedroom, for the inn is wretched) after breakfast, and

LADY MORGAN.

329

accompany us, en troupe, to see all that is worth seeing.
They took us to the booksellers to show us that our
works were everywhere. In one shop I saw a new
edition of " France" I never saw before, and which
Colburn told me nothing of; in another they were
binding up "Florence Macarthy," which is now the
fashionable subject of discussion, for every creature
here speaks and reads English. Before dinner they
bring us a char-a-banc to drive round the lake, and
from that till twelve o'clock (when all Geneva goes to
bed), we were running from house to house. We
have fixed day after day for going, and then comes
some dinner or evening party made expressly for us,
and here we are. We had quite made up our mind to
be off on the 2nd of May, when a fabriquantd'horlogerie
(much such a man in every respect to Rundell and
Bridges' in London), came to beg we would honour
his family by dining with them; that he had engaged
a Greek prince and his family to meet us (the Hospodar of Wallachia, whom I passed an hour with yesterday); in short, I never saw such empressement; and
though we would not stay for the Syndic of the town
(we had so completely made up all our plans for
going) this act of hospitality and attention from a true
Genevese bourgeois was irresistible. Oh ! if I had time
or space to describe to you his magazine, his musical
workboxes, where a parcel of beautiful little birds pop
up and sing like canaries, and the magnificent jewels

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which he sends all over Europe! What, however,
would still more amuse you is Ferney, Voltaire's
residence, where Morgan and I passed a morning
alone, seated in his bedroom, wandering through his
salon and garden, and visiting his pretty village and
church. Passing through the village to the chateau
is the church, raised by Voltaire, with a simple inscription" TO THE SUPREME BEING."
A plain altar was served by an old domestic priest,
named Le Pere Adam, who, after all, was a poor
Jesuit; a proof that Voltaire's hostility was neither
personal nor prejudiced, but levelled against a system
and a power which he considered fatal to the interests
of society. We have also been at Rousseau's humble,
paternal dwelling, where he was born and passed his
youth. We have collected a volume of curious anec
dotes, and are living in the heart of Madame de Stael's
exile; her cousin, Madame Necker, was among the
first to visit us. I fear you cannot read this. We
set off for Italy, by Mount Cenis, on Sunday; so
write to us to Milan. God bless you all! I wish
we were all settled for life on the lake of Geneva.
We have been at a fete de noces in the country which
was extremely characteristic, all the rooms hung with
flowers and the most brilliant lights I ever saw-the
women lovely, and much dressed. The drawback on
all this is the bise, which is now blowing dreadfully,

LADY MORGAN.

331

and to which our north-east wind is a zephyr. The
Alps, which look as if they were coming in at our
windows, are covered with snow, and the cold intolerable.
I hope Clarke has received my letter with a draught
for ten pounds. I kiss you all round and square, and
shake the two gentlemen's hands again.-S. M.
Diary-Geneva, Hotel de Balance.-Oh what a delightful drive! Drive, forsooth, no! pilgrimage, and
worth the whole seven pilgrimages to the seven
Churches 'at Rome! or to the seven churches in the
vale of Avoca"In whose bosom the bright waters meet !"

Last night the dear Baron Bonstettin, after having,
as we thought, given his last bon soir, came back to
say : "Oh, I had almost forgotten to tell you that I
shall be to-morrow at the 'Balance,' at ten o'clock
in my char-a-banc. I want you to see a church
unique in its invocation." And so there he was to a
minute in his char-a-banc with Dumont beside him.
As we went rumbling and jumbling over the solemn
pavement of the solemn city, the baron named every
site that was notable: among others he drew up in
front of an old watchmaker's shop, where the father
of Rousseau had carried on his petit commerce and
where the founder of sentimental philosophy was born.
Some years ago I should have sighed and lingered

332

DIARY OF

but now I simply said, Oh le genie va-t-il se nicher ?"
We passed on to a much less genial locale.
" The tradition is," said the baron, "that it was here
poor Servetus was burned alive by Calvin, of whose
sufferings he himself said, ' Ter reboabat His panico
more, miserecordia.' It is a spot where the stones are
said to be still blackened by the fires which consumed
the victim of a religious cruelty never surpassed by
the Inquisition, not even in the persecution of Galileo
and the torture and burning of Savonarola."
Morgan actually writhed. "All religious reformers,"
he said, " become in their turn persecutors -as soon as
they become powerful."
" Except one," I interrupted, "whose divine charity,
more prone to spare than to condemn, turned in
disgust from the ferocious rabbis who brought the
sinner to him, and pronounced her pardon with that
mild grave injunction 'Go, and sin no more.'
Morgan said, in an absolute passion, "Calvin was a
villain, and a bilious villain! I know nothing or very
little of his victim : who was Michael Servetus ?"
" He was a learned physician," said Bonstettin,
with a look of humour, "who meddled with what did
not concern him."
"And was condemned," said Morgan, laughing, "by
some ' Advocate of Christianity' at Cambridge, which
gave him a good income for his pious espionage."
"Oh !" said Dumont, "poor Servetus was punished

LADY MORGAN.

333

for his confidence in Calvin, for having written in a
private letter on theological subjects in which his
opinion was more physiological than theological;
Calvin betrayed his confidence, and condemned him to
be brule' vif for a heretic."
"But how did the Genevese stand this ?" I asked.
" Oh, it was rather approved of; the Dictator of
Geneva was no longer himself the fugitive heretic of
France who wrote against intolerance.
Master in
Geneva-d'autres temps d'autres sentiments."
"Why, he was a pope in power among you," said
Morgan.
"More than that," said Dumont; " he was a legislator, and assisted the magistrates in founding that
code civile and ecclesiastique which is still the fundamental law of the Republic."
" Republic !" said Morgan, disdainfully.
So seeing he was about to explode I cut in, and observed,
"And he was a bad husband, and never in love; he
married a widow and treated poor Idolette, his wife
and convert, with great severity."
"KIt is curious," said Dumont, "his chief disciple
and chef en second, Th6odore de B6ze, was the reverse,
and was best known, during a great period of his life,
as a charming if not chaste chansonnier in France in
the sixteenth century as Beranger is now in the nineteenth."
" I have all his works, " said Morgan, "both in

334

DIARY OF

Latin and French: but the best trait in his character
was his easy toleration."
" There was no toleration as we understand it now,"
said Dumont, "or if there were it was condemned as
infidelity. The first who openly preached it was
Bayle, and, above all, Voltaire."
" Whose church, by-the-by," said the baron, "I am
now taking you to see."
" And his house at Ferney ?" said I.

"If we can get admittance," said Bonstettin, " of
which there is no doubt if the present liberal owner
be at home."
But, alas! when we arrived before a very plain
unphilosophical looking house, an unpoetical, unphilosophical looking female servant came to the door, which
she scarcely opened, with the answer that the family
were all away and she could not show the house to
strangers !
If we had not been very tired, very hungry, and
very deeply engaged for the evening to a dinner and
party at M. Pictet's, we should have been heartily disappointed. With a mutual assignation, which Morgan
and I made with looks that we would return alone
and enjoy Ferney toute notre saoul, we took it with
due resignation, and proceeded to the church, a plain,
comfortable tabernacle, with the inscription over the
portal" DEO OPTIMO MAXIMO.'

LADY MORGAN.

335

It really impressed us with a solemn feeling: there
was no St. Mary or St. Catherine, St. Timothy or St.
Thomas, to divide our attention with the Most High;
and, we were tempted to fall, on our knees and thank
the Providence to whom this Temple was raised for
all the blessings we at that moment enjoyed.
1858.-Whilst I was putting up these last pages, the "Saturday
Review" came to hand for December 25th, containing an article on Voltaire. To mention Voltaire at all, in a periodical aspiring "to circulate
in the bosom of families" during the present renaissance of bigotry,
shows a moral courage as respectable as rare; for Voltaire was the open
and acknowledged enemy of all jesuitry, "The head and front of his
offence--was that-no more." The concluding passage of the article, being
purely literary, may be quoted here in critical sympathy with their admiration of the great genius of his age. "We must, in conclusion, say a
word on the literary merits of Voltaire's novels. They are, in our judgment, altogether unequalled. The clearness, animation, and rapidity of
the story--the condensation and point of the style, are merits of which we
are rapidly losing even the tradition."

From Lady Morgan to Lady Clarke.
Geneva, H6tel de Balance,
May 3rd, 1819, two in the morning.

dearest Olivia and dears all! alas!
farewell from a land of liberty ! a little spot, indeed,
but still a free one-and for the present beyond the
despotism of its mighty neighbours. I am in very
FAREWELL!

low spirits, and I shall make this a mere letter of

business, which is philosophy in action, and, what is
better still, wisdom!
Well, then, Mr. Warden, our American friend in
Paris, has taken charge of a precious box, which he

336

DIARY OF

will forward to Colburn forthwith, who, having paid
the expenses upon it, will forward the same to Clarke
at Dublin. The first on the list, though last in the
box, is Denon's folio edition of his "Egypt." It was
done at the expense and desire of the Emperor
Napoleon, and never in the market. Denon was, I
think, the chief of the literary staff who accompanied
him to Egypt, and the fine drawings and engravings
were by the first artists, under his control. The
heads are portraits, and the names of the original
writers are under them by Denon's own pencil.
The works of the Comte de Segur, with an autograph
letter addressed to me-the works of a man of genius
written by a man of fashion, for they are full of energy
and grace. The works of Ginguin6, on Italian literature, in nine vols. A great work, by-the-by, and I
hope you and your children will one day receive delight
and instruction from its perusal. The history of
intellect in Italy is the history of civilisation; and
though the church set up her barrier to check its
progress, "E pur si muove !" Sismondi's "R4publiques Italiennes," in eight volumes, and his "History
of European Literature," in four volumes.
The
"Maxims of La Rochefoucault," given me by his lineal
descendant, the Comte Gaiton de la Rochefoucault.
The works of Madame de Sevign6 (the darling !), and
of Voltaire, d'Alembert, Diddrot, Grimm, Volney, on
which we have ourselves laid out a little fortune; the

LADY MORGAN.

337

others were all presentation copies. But oh, if we live
to return to Ireland, what piture for the winter
evenings in Kildare Street and Rutland Square! that
is, if the whole cargo diabolique does not smell of
brimstone, and so be seized by the Inquisition of the
Roman Catholic hierarchy, and be carried off to the
holy office of the Protestant ascendancy.
' Oh Father Abraham, what these Christians he !"

At the top of the box you will find Morgan's collection of music, "Le Devin du Village," by Rousseau,
Gretry's beautiful opera of "(Coeur de Lion," and some
old trash picked up by him (Morgan) in a stall in the
Marais, composed by the young Mr. Noahs during
their leisure hours in the Ark, and brought by them
to Ireland, where the old historians declare they were
the first Colonisers, "on the testimony of credible
witnesses !" and from them we derive our talent
and love of music. They compose a concert in
themselves. Shem a tenor, Ham a barytone, and
Japhet a basso cantante. The Irish harp is also
ascribed to them, and some paternal propensities
which survive in their Irish descendants to this day!
Pray forgive this nonsense, "the fun lay in my way,
and I found it."
The book in silver paper tied with a red ribbon is
the divine comedy of Beaumarchais, in which there is
more charming wit than was ever dreamed of in the

338

DIARY OF

"Divina Comedia," of Dante. There is a little autograph note in it from the author to DInon, who was
then a joli garqon, and gentilhomme de la chambre to
Louis XV. The author was harpiste to the enfans de
France,then represented by two elderly ladies in hoops
and hoods: see Walpole's Letters. Apropos to harps,
I mean to take my own little Irish harp, though Morgan
was rather averse to it, and wanted me to leave it at
Geneva till our return.
And now, dear, the day is already brightening the
summits of Mont Blanc, and Morgan is calling out
from his room, " What are you about, Sydney? don't
you mean to go to bed to-night ?" which indeed I am
so awake I would rather not. I assure you there is no
need for you to be uneasy at our travelling so far without servants, as we have resolved on taking two
Italians, man and maid, who, on our arrival in Milan,
(where every accommodation is provided for us by the
dear Count Confalioneri), I mean to exploiter them
both, and turn them into Arlequino and Colombinathe hero and heroine of the Italian stage.
Now, dear, don't send any of the "Crawleys "trapseing after me! and don't give any one my Italian address, except to the O'Conor Don, who is an honour
to our country and one of its most graceful representatives.
I am in very low spirits, and rather nervous and
wakeful; but from this moment I am all Italy's. I

339

LADY MORGAN.

feel as though we had a grand vocation: of our earnest
truthfulness I have no doubt, but in our power for
aiding the great cause, the regeneration of Italy, we
feel little confidence. " Who is sufficient for these
things ?" as St. Paul asked long ago himself a Roman
citizen, and, as he boasts, "free born." And so once
more, dears, farewell.
SYDNEY MORGAN.

LONDON:
PRINTED BY W. CLOWES AND SONS, STAMFORD STREET.

8, NEW BURILINGTON STREET,
Januaryi,1859.

MR. BEITLEY'S
LIST OF NEW WORKS,
NOW READY.

HANS C. ANDERSEN.

To Be or Not to Be.
By HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN, Author of

'The

Improvisatore.'

Crown 8vo. 5s.
"This work is charmingly written."-Atenwum.

MISS AUSTEN.

Novels of AMiss Austent:
EMMA, SENSE AND SENSIBILITY, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE,
A
MANSFIELD PARK, NORTHANGER ABBEY, and PERSUASION.
Library Edition, in 5 vols. small 8vo, with Ten Illustrations, 15s.
"Miss Austen has a talent for describing the involvements, and feelings, and characters of ordinary life, which is to me the most wonderful I ever met with. Her
exquisite touch, which renders ordinary commonplace things and characters inter-the truth of the description and the sentiment, is denied to me.esting
Sir'
Walter Scott.

from

Anne Sherwood.
A Novel. 3 vols. post 8vo, 10s.
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female Juvenal. It is a most remarkable novel."-Press.
" Its deep, passionate energy, is like Charlotte Bronte's 'Jane Eyre."'"-Jehn
Bull.

2

MR. BENTLEY'S LIST

OF

NEW WORKS.

GEORGE BANCROFT.

History of

tke

American.Revolution.

By GEoRGE BANCROFT.

3 vols, 8vo. 31s. 6d.

" This work must take its place as an essentially satisfactory history of the United
States. Mr. Bancroft's style is original and national, breathing of the mountain and
the prairie. A strain of wild and forest-like music swells up in almost every line.
The story is told richly and vividly. In his hands American scenery is full of
effects. Steeped in the colours of his imagination, a thousand incidents, thought dull
Lu his narrative all is movement. His
before, appear now animated and pictorial.
men glow with human purposes-his story sweeps on with the exulting life of a pro-

fine

cession. "-Athenceum.

T. HAYNES BAYLY.

The Songs, Ballads, and other Poems
of THOMAS HAYNES BAYLY.

Edited by his Widow.

Post Svo,

with Portrait, 7s. 6d.
"Haynes Bayly's Songs are dramatic in a high degree. Associations by many
tuneful firesides, with images of domestic tenderness and cheerful household enjoyment, they will doubtless rise to the reader's recollection, and be of greater force to
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CUTHBERT BEDE.

Fairy Fables.
By CUTHBERT BEDE. Square 8vo, with numerous beautiful Illustrations by ALFRED CROWQUILL. Handsomely bound, 4s.
"A pretty volume, fuli of short, fresh, and fascinating tales for the parlour and
nursery fireside."-Leader.
" Pleasant tales of the right sort, with some clever pictures by Alfred Crowquill"'-

Atkeaceum.

CHARLES L. BRACE.

Ljfr in Norway and Sweden.
By CHARLES LORING BRACE, Author of 'Home Life in Germany.'
Crown 8vo, with Illustrations, 9s.
"A

dashing, spirited book, and a welcome addition to the carpet-bagof all northern

travellers."-Atheaweum.

MR. BENTLEY'S LIST OF NEW WORK~S.

JAMES BOSWELL.

Letters ofJames Boswell,
the Biographer of De. Johnson, to the Rev. William Templ
14s.

Svo,

"Equsllywith the famous biography of Dr. Johnson, these Letters have the charm
of sincerity-a charm which, as long as the world lasts, will be the greatest which
the writings of one man can have for another. Boswell never disappoints us. He is
,an unfailing joke. Whether he writes about love, or riches, or literature, he is
It is rarely that we come across
always the same, inimitable and inethaustible.
* volume with so much to entertain us and make us laugh.-Saturday Revew.

BENTLEY.

Bentley's Two Shilling Volumes.
IT IS NEvER TOO LATE To MEND.
THE COURSE OF TRuE LoVE.
ASPEN COURT.

By SHIRLEY BROOKS.

CONFESSIONS or A THUG.
THE INITIALS.
THE CARDINAL.

By CHARLES READEL

By CHARLES READE.

By Captain MEADOWS TAYLOR.

By the Author of

'Quits.'

By ARCHIBALD BOYD.

NEARER AND DEARER.

By C UTHBERT BEDE.

ThILHI ; THE CITY OP THE GREAT MOGUL.
KENZIE.
ROUGHINGf IT IN THE BUSH.

By Mrs. COLIN MAC-

By Mrs. MOODIB.

OUR ANTIPODES ; OR, RESIDENCE AND RAMBLES IN THE AusBy General MUNDY.
TRALASIAN COLONIES.
THE CONQUEST OP CANADA.

By Major WARBURTON,

GHOST STORIES AND PHANTOM FANCIES.

RA.

By RAIN FRISWELL.

Any of these volumes can also be had, very handsomely bound in

blue cloth, 3s.
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Bentley's Edition of .Jinsworth's 'B-lookwood.'
With Illustrations, 3s. 6d.

A2

4

MR. BENTLEY'S LIST OF NEW WORKS.

TIhe Bentley Ballads.
A Selection of the choice Songs, Ballads, etc., contributed to
'Bentley's Miscellany,' including the famous productions of Father
with
Prout and Dr. Maginn. Edited by Dr. ]OEAN. Crown
Illustrated Title, 5s.

Svo,

Bulwer's .lhree Stories,
EUGENE ARAM, LAST DAYS OF POMPEII, and PAUL CLIFFOED.
Bentley's Edition. 3 vols. l2mo, 15s., with
Illustrations.

Six

SHIRLEY BROOKS.

ihe Gordian Knot.
By SHIRLEY BROOKS.
tions by TENNIEL.

Svo, with Twenty-four beautiful Illustra-

FRANCIS -T. BUCKLAND.

Curiosities of Natural History.
By FRANcIS T. BUCKLAND, M.A., Student of Christ Church,
Assistant-Surgeon, 2nd Life-Guards. Fourth Edition, in small 8vo,
with Illustrations, 6s.

REV. R. W. BROWNE.

History of Roman Classical Literature.
By the Rev. R. W. BROWNE, Professor of History at King's College, London. Second Edition. 8vo, 12$.
"1Professor Browne is not only a classical scholar, but one of the most graceful of
English modern writers. In clearness, purity, and elegance of style, his compositions
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utility of design and excellence of execution may challenge comparison with any
which the present century has produced; nor can we hesitate to regard it as a very
valuable instrument for the instruction of the national mind, and the elevation of the
national

taste."-Mosming

Pest.

MR. BENTLEY'S LIST OF NEW WORKS.

REV. R. W. BROWNE.

Lhstory of Greek Classical Literature.
By the Rev. R. W. BROWNE, Professor of History at King's Cob
lege, London. 8vo, 12s.
" One of those books that will extend the circle of Greek knowledge far beyond the
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Mr. Browne's short biographies of the various Greek writers, his plots of tragedies
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Checkmate.
Post 8vo, 10s. 6d.
"The moral of this story is that many have religion enough to make them miserable, but not enough to make them happy."-John Bull.

W. WILKIE

COLLINS.

Rambles beyond ]ailways;
or, Notes taken afoot in Cornwall. By W. WILKIE COLLINS,
Author of I Antonina,' 'The Dead Secret,' etc. Square 8vo, with
Coloured Lithographs, l0s. 6d.

beautiful

"A very

pleasant book, in which the most is made of a happily-chosen suject.
The author takes us through all the rocky wonders and beauties of the Cornish coast,
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PROFESSOR CREASY.

The Fifteen- Decisive Battles of the World,
from Marathon to Waterloo. By Professor CRIEASY. Ninth Edition, with Plans, Svo, l0s. 6d.
"QItwas a happy idea of Professor Cireasy to select for military description those
few battles of which, in the words of Hallam, ' a contrary event would have essenThe decisive
tially varied the drama of the world in all its subsequent scenes.'
features of the battles are well and clearly brought out, the reader's mind is attracted
to the world-wide importance of the event he is considering, while their succession
carries him over the whole stream of European history."-Spectator.

6

MR. BENTLEY'S LIST OF NEW WORKS.

PETER CUNNINGHAM.

eltters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford.
Now first Chronologically arranged. With upwards of One Hundred New Letters.

Edited by PETER CUNNINGHAM.

9 vols. 8vo,

with. Thirty-nine exquisite Portraits, £4. 14s. 6d.
"Horace Walpole will be long known to posterity by his incomparable Lettersmodels as they are of every variety of epistolary excellence. But it is not only for the
merits of his style that Walpole's Letters are, we think, destined more surely perhaps
than any other work of his or our age, to immortality; it is because these letters are,
in fact, a chronicle of every occurrence and of every opinion which attracted or deserved public attention, either at home or abroad, during one of the busiest half
centuries of European history. This correspondence is, in fact, a perfect encyclopmedia of information from the very best sources-politics from the fountain-head of
parties-debates by the best of reporters-foreign affairs from an habitud of diplomatic society-sketches of public characters by their intimate acquaintance or associate-the gossip of fashionable life from a man of fashion-literature from a man of
letters-the arts from a man of taste-the news of the town from a member of every
club in St. James's Street; and all this related by a pen whose vivacity and graphic
power is equalled by nothing but the wonderful industry and perseverance with which
it was plied through so long a series of years."-Quarterly
Review.
" Read, if you have not read, all Horace Walpole's Letters, wherever you can find
them; the best wit ever published in the shape of letters."-Sydney Smith.
" Incomparable Letters."-Lord Byron.
" Walpole's great History of his own Times."-.Tohn Wilson Croker.
" Mr. Cunningham has been entrusted, and his peculiar knowledge justifies the
selection, with the editorship of the first collected edition of an English Classic; and
as this will no doubt hereafter be the standard one, Cunningham's 'Walpole' will
henceforward be as regularly quoted as Tyrwhitt's ' Chaucer.' That Walpole is an
English classic, who will gainsay ? With the exception of James Howel, he was in
point of time the first of English letter-writers. That he is first in literary rank the
majority of readers will readily admit. With fancy and imagination enough for a
poet, learning sufficient to have established his reputation as a scholar, wit equal to
both, and a social position which put him in possession of all the gossip of the day,
what wonder is it that Horace Walpole should shine pre-eminent as a letter-writer P
His style, modelled upon those sparkling French writers whom he so delighted in, is
perfect in its ease; and his pictures of society combine at once the truth of Hogarth
and the grace of Watteau. When we add that in his delightful correspondence one
may read the political and social history of England from the middle of the reign of
George the Second to the breaking out of the first French Revolution, we do not
risk damaging our reputation as prophets, when we predict that, great as has been
the success of former publications of these Letters, yet greater success will attend
the present edition. For be it remembered, this edition contains not only all the
letters hitherto published, arranged in chronological order, and many now first collected or first made public, but also the notes of all previous editors, among whom
are Lord Dover, Mr. Croker, the Misses Berry, and the Rev. John Mitford. Mr.
Cunningham has come to his task, therefore, under very fortunate circumstances.
He has been preceded by men familiar with the events and persons of whom Wal.
pole writes, and one less practised in the duties of an editor, less intimate with the
literature and history of Walpole's period, than Mr. Cunningham, could scarcely
have failed in making a good book; no wonder, then, that with such materials he
has produced the work by whichhe is destined to be remembered hereafter."-VNotes
and Queries.

MR. BENTLEY'S LTST OF NEW WORK~S.

PROFESSOR CREASY.

Rise and Progressof the IEnglish Constitution.
A Popular Account of the Primary Principles, the Formation and
Development of the English Constitution, avoiding all Party Politics. By Professor CREASY. Third Edition. Post 8vo, 7s. Gd.
"An admirable summary of knowledge, which every well-educated Englishman
ought to possess"-Lterary
Gaszette.

PROFESSOR CREASY.

llistory of the Ottoman Turks,
from the Foundation of their Empire to the Present Time, chiefly
based upon Van Hammer. By Professor CREASY. 1 vol. 8vo,
with Maps, 7s. 6d.
"

Of all the histories of the Turks this is by far the

best."-Spectctor.

-4-------

MISS COSTELLO.

.Memoirs of J ary, the young Duchess of Burgundy, and her Contemporaries.

By LOUISA COSTELLO, Author
of 'A Summer among the Bocages and the Vines.'
Post 8vo,
lOs. Gd.
SYDNEY DOBELL.

The Roman ; a -DramaticPoem.
By SYDYNEY DOBELL.

Post 8vo, 53.

" We have read this poem with delight. The Author touches with equal power
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enchains by its beauty. Should any one, after the extracts we have given, doubt
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Atkcesceum.

J. D'EWES.

China, Australia, and Islands of the Pact/c,
in the Years 1855-56.
Illustrations, l0s. Gd.

By J. D'EWES, Esq.

Post 8vo, with

" The account of the Chinese and China is by far the most valuable. Mr. J. D'Ewes
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Chinese."-Spectts-.

MR. BENTLEY'S LIST OF NEW WORKS.

8

DR. DORAN.

Habits and Men,
with Remnants of Records touching the Makers of Both.
Dr. DoRa.

Third Thousand.

By

Post 8vo, 7s. 6d.

"As old Burton makes melancholy and its many varieties a canvas whereon he
may embroider whatever he thinks fit, so does Dr. Doran take up human attire.
Nearly every page contains something amusing; and you may shut the book in the
middle and open it again after a twelvemonth's interval, without at all compromising
its power of affording enjoyment. We need scarcely add that Dr. Doran's book is
not only amusing, but that it is full of strange information that every one would like
to possess. Here, in fact, is the note-book of an intelligent, educated, and studious
man, enabling the reader, by skimming over pages, to obtain, almost without a
thought, an amount of knowledge for which the author has ransacked libraries."-

Times.

DR. DORAN.

Table Traits and Something on Them.
By Dr. DORAN.

Third Edition.

Post 8vo, 7s. 6d.

" This entertaining work includes almost everything connected with the plea.
sures of the table. Dr. Doran exhibits a great amount of reading, very agreeable
wit, and a refined scholarship."-ManchesterTimes.

DR. DORAN.

Knights and their Days.
By Dr. DoRAN.

Second Thousand.

Post 8vo, 10s. 6d.

SSatirical, anecdotical, quizzical-full of most wise conceits and ridiculous stories
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very provoking. There is only one word to be said about it-read it."-Athenaeum.

DR. DORAN.

Monarchs Retiredfrom Business.
By Dr. DoRAN.
post 8vo, 21s.

Second Edition, and Second Thousand.

2 vols.

Two Portraits.

"Emphatically a book which will be liked by all classes. With information to
recommend it to the studious, its liveliness will attract the desultory reader, and it
cannot fail to delight both. It is altogether a very charming book."-Gentleman's
Magazine.

9

MR. BENTLEY'S LIST OF NEW WORKS.

DR. DORAN.

History of Court Pools.
By Dr. DoRAn.

Second Thousand.

Post 8vo, l0s. 6d.

Anything more quaint, subtle, and surprising than
origin of court fools is scarcely to be found in the pages
genial humourist. Will not many of our readers, on so
our few extracts, desire a still more intimate knowledge
Fools ' P"-Athena'cm.
"

England

Dr. Doran's tale of the
of the greatest and most
much acquaintance from
of the 'History of Court

DR. DORAN.

Queens of

By Dr. DORAN.
tions, 21s.

of the House of Hanover.

Second Edition, 2 vols. post Svo, with Illustra-

"These 'Lives' indicate afresh the wealth and variety of Dr. Doran's collections."--Athencm.
"An extraordinary repertory of facts and anecdotes."-Spectator.

R. H. WALLACE DUNLOP.

The Khakee Bessalah;
Service and Adventure with the EKhakee Ressalali, or Meerut Volunteer Horse, during the Mutinies of 1857-8. By ROBERT HENRY
WALLA~cE DUNLOP, B.CS. Post 8vo, with Coloured Illustrations,
7s. 6d.

life

of the resolute body
"Life-like, real, and bringing before you the everyday
of Irregular Horse, to which Mr. Dunlop owed the carrying out of many a bold
attack."-Morninsg Advertiser.

MRS. ELLIS.

Friends at their own Firesides.
By Mrs. ELLIS, Author of

'The

Women of England.'

2 vols.

fcap. 8vo, 12s.

fit

" The authoress here describes the social and domestic life of the Quakers. Mrs.
for
Ellis, having been herself brought up in a Quaker family, is naturally very
sncb a task, which she executes with all the grace her pen has long been known to
possess."-Staetesman.

10

MR. BENTLEY'S LIST OF NEW WORKS.

REV. J. EDWARDS, M.A.

ie Andromache of Euripides.
With suggestions and questions at the foot of each page, intended
to be read as a first Greek Play. By the Rev. J. EDWARDS, M.A.,
and the Rev. C. HAWKINS, B.C.L., Ch. Ch. Oxon. Second Edition. Post Svo, 4s. 6d.
"Every passage of the text is illustrated with an extent of erudition which renders
the work of incalculable value to the student."-EducatienalTimes.

REV. CHARLES FORSTER.

The One Primeval Language,
Traced experimentally through Ancient Inscriptions in Alphabetical
Characters of lost Powers from the four Continents. By the Rev.
CHARLES FoRSTEE, Rector of Stisted. This important work is
now published in Three Volumes, demy Svo, any one Volume of
which can be had separately, price 21$. each, or the Thee Volumes
together, price 42s.
Part I. THE VOICE Or ISRAEL FROM THE RocKS Or SINAI.
THE VESTIGES OF PATRIARCHAL TRADITION FROM
THE MONUMENTS Or EGYPT, ETRURIA, AtN SOUTHERN

Part II.

ARABIA.

Part III. THE MONUMENTS or ASSYRIA,
PERSIA.

BAisYLoNIA,

AND

WITH A KEY TO THE RECOVERY OF THE LOST

TEN TRIBES.
""The work before us lays claim to a great discovery. Mr. Forster has started a
theory which deserves the attentive consideration of every Hebrew or Arabic scholar
to
if his theory be verified, the result must be an immense accession of
the whole field of Semitic philology: Mr. Forster thinks that he has already discovered Arabic to be or to contain the one primitive language. The theological value
rocks, by the hands
of the records of the miracles of the Exodus graven in the
of the very men who witnessed those mighty judgments, is perfectly

light

-for

living

incalculable."-

"A very remarkable work. It is one of the most valuable contributions to Scripture evidences we have met with for some time."-Daily
" It exhibits extensive learning and great philological research; while the author's
views, which are altogether novel on the subject, are supported by a mass of extraordinary and highiy interesting evidence."-C

News.

MR. BENTLEY'S

LIST OF NEW WORKS.

11

REV. CHARLES FORSTER.

A Letter to Lord Lyndhurst
in Vindication of the Sinaitic Inscriptions, in Answer to the Rev.
Arthur Penrhyn Stanley, M.A. Svo. 5s.

CHARLES E. FRANCATELLI.

ike llodern Cook.
A Practical Guide to the Culinary Art in all its branches. Adapted
as well for the Largest Establishments as for the use of Private
Families. By CHARLES ELMII FRANCATELLI. Fifth Thousand.
8vo. 12s.
"The destiny of nations depends upon their diet."-Brillat Savarin.
" There's no want of meat, Sir;
Portly and curious viands are prepared
To please all kinds of appetites."-Masinger.
-4------

MARIA FREEMAN.

A

Friendin Need.
3 vols. post 8vo.

31s. 6d.

" A novel full of incident, various in its situations, and abounding with striking
and occasionally powerful contrasts-a novel, in fact, equal in point of interest to
any recently published."-Observer.
" Certainly deserves to he one of the most popular novels of the season."-Critic
"A clever, well-constructed romance, abounding in a variety of incidents, power.
fully delineated, throughout-which the interest of the reader never flags."-Molfrning
Pest.

FREYTAG.

Debit and Credit.
A Novel
MALCOLM.

From the German of FREYTAG.
Crown 8vo, 6s.

Translated by Mrs.

"This novel has had an extraordinary circulation in Germany, approaching to
that of' Uncle Tom,' or Mr. Dickens's or Mr. Thackerays novels in England. Mrs.
Malcolm's translation is executed with fidelity and spirit, and with the sanction of
the author."-Times.
" The most popular German novel of the age."-ChevalierBunsen.
"We cannot here give any idea of the variety, vivacity, intensity of this admirable
story."-Statesman.

12

MR. BENTLEY'S LIST OF NEW WORKS.

Gordon of Duncairn.
2 vols. small 8vo, 12s.
"The tone of the work and the sketches of character exhibit observation and a
touch of character. There is a good deal of youthful freshness and the germ of
power."-Spectator.
"The heroine, Minnie Gray, is one of the sweetest female creations in English
literature, and with her companion, Lily Greeme, presents a picture of female
friendship and confidence most exquisitely drawn and coloured. The moral of the
story is excellent, and the catastrophe is brought about with consummate skill."
-Illustrated News of the World.

CAPTAIN GIBNEY.

M1y Escapefrom the Mutinies in Oudh.
By Captain GIBNEY.

2 vols. small 8vo, with Illustrations, 12s.

"Nearly everything, from the first to the last chapter, is true, I can safely state;
but all did not occur to myself. Many of the miseries were experienced by other
officers somewhat similarly situated. This work was composed partly whilst under
a leaky shed on picket duty, watching the arid plains of Rohilcund, at that time
given up to murder, pillage, and the wildest confusion; and it was finished on my
return to England, sick and wounded, the result of an action with the mutineers."Extractfrom Author's Preface.

LIEUT.-COL. GRAHAM.

History of the Art of War.
Elementary History of the Progress of the Art of War.
Col. J. J.

GRAHAM.

By Lieut.-

Post 8vo, with Plans of Battles, 7s. 6d.

" A brief account of the composition of armies-the progress of the art of war
from the earliest ages-maxims of modern military science, and a chronology of military events, illustrated by sketches, and the opinions of Frederick the Great, Napoleon, Caesar, Gustavus, Turenne, Marlborough, and other great commanders, besides Jomini."-Atheneum.

MRS. GREEN.

Letters of Queen Henrietta Miaria;
Including her Private Correspondence with Charles I.
MARY

ANN EVERETT GREEN.

Edited by

Post 8vo, 10s. 6d.

"On the history of the Civil War in the seventeenth century, these letters throw
important light."-Literary Gazette.

MR. BENTLEY'S, LIST OF NEW WORKS.

13

EARL GREY.

An ]18say on Pariamentary1eform.
By EARL GREY.

8vo, 7s. 6d.

X. R. GUBBIS.

ke Mutinies in Oudlh ;
An Account of the Mutinies in Oudh and of the Siege of Lucknow
Residency; with some observations on the Causes of the Mutiny.
By MARTIN RICHARD GuBBINS, Financial Commissioner for Oudli.
Third Edition. One vol. 8vo, with Maps and Illustrations.
" This book will probably soon snpersede all others as a record of the revolt of
Oudh, mainly because it combines with a clear, circumstantial, and simple narrative
of the events of the memorable siege of Lucknow, and with beautifully-coloured
illustrations of the localities, a masterly and dispassionate survey of the state of
Oudh before the siege, and of the various causes to which the revolt of the provine
has been attributed."-Economist.
"The second edition is enriched by two notable narratives-a lady's escape from
Sultanpore, and Major Eyre's account of the famous Arrsh expedition. This is the
most important book on the siege of Lucknow yet published, or ever likely to be
pnblished."-Examiner.

ARNOLD

GUYOT.

Lectures on Physical Geography;
Or, Earth and Man. By ARNOLD GUYOT.
edition. Small 8vo, 2s. 6d.

The only unabridged

"1We have never seen the science of physical geography explained with greater
clearness and elegance. "-Atheneum.

X. GUIZOT.

JKemoir8 of my Own fTime.
By M. GUIZOT.

Vols. I. and II., in 8vo, 14s: each.

"Will be devoured as a history of our own times by one of the most conspicuous
men. now alive, and will be referred to hereafter when much popular literature will
have been devoured-by the worms.- Guizotis a man of genius-and genius is immnortality. This is one of the few books that will markthe generation that gives it birth."
-. teneusm.

14

MR. BENTLEY'S LIST OF NEW WORKS.

M. GUIZOT.

lemoirs of Sir Robert Peel.
By M. GIzoT. 8vo. 14.
"The most impartial estimate of Sir Robert Peel we have seen."-Atheneum.

M. GUIZOT.

History of Charles the Arst
and the English Revolution.

By M. GUIzoT.

2 vols. 8vo, 28s.

"The best history, both iithought and composition, of the Reign of Charles the
First."-Rdinbwrgh Review.
-4------

M. GUIZOT.

History of Oliver Cromwell
and the English Commonwealth.
8vo, 28s.

By M. GuIzoT.

2 vols.

"M. Guizot has given us an admirable narrative, far more candid than any from
an English pen."--Times.

"M. Guizot has unravelled Cromwell's character with singular skill. No one, in
our opinion, has drawn his portrait with equal truth. M. 'Guizot's acquaintance with
our annals, language, customs, and politics, is altogether extraordinary. lHe is an
earnest and profound writer."--Quarter-ly Review.

M. GUIZOT.

History of Richard Cromwell
and the Dawn of the Restoration.
8vo, 28:.

By M. GuizoT.

2 vols.

<<It is impossible to read this 'calm and noble work without feeling its unconscious
pathos. M. Guizot here shows us the last act of a great drama, terrible in its interest and tragic at the

close."-Atheaeeum.

'"M. Guizot's narrative is masterly. Perhaps no period of equal importance could
he less attractive as the subject of a history ; yet these volumes are more interesting
than most descriptions of brilliant and exciting times. The execution of the translation is excellent ; i. Guizot has had ample justice done to the spirited and balanced
language in which his thoughts are expressed. Generally the thoughts to which
Mt. Guizot gives a distinct shape are profound and just; he especially excels in those

statements-half fact, half reflection-in which the whole position and aim of a party
is described and commented on."-Stuerday, Review.

MR. BENTLEY'S LIST OF NEW WORKS.

15

M. GUIZOT.

Corneille and his
By M. GUIZOT.

Tihmes.

8vo, 10s. 6d.
-4---~-

1rr

N. GUIZOT.

Shakespeare and his Times.
By M. GUIZOT.

Svo, lOs. 6d.

JAMES HAMILTON.

Sinai, the Hedjaz, and Soudan:
Wanderings round the Birthplace of the Prophet, and across
the Ethiopian Desert, with Pictures of Arab Life. By JAMES
HAMILTON, Author of 'Wanderings in Northern Africa.' Post
8vo, 10s. 6d. Maps.
"A work of great importance-a valuable contribution to the history and geography of a region associated with our earliest studies, and for the classical scholar
invested by the oldest Greek historian with never-fading charrs"--Staadard.

THOMAS INOOLDSBY.

The Ingoldsby Legends;
Or, Mirth and Marvels.

3 vols. post 8vo, with all the Illustrations
21s.

of GEORGE CRUIxSHANK and JOHN LEECH.

The same work in One Volume, small Svo, with Illustrated Frontispiece, 5s. This Five Shilling Edition contains the whole of the
Legends, the Life of Thomas Ingoldsby alone being omitted.
"Abundant in humour, observation, fancy; in extensive knowledge of books and
men;
palpable hints of characters, exqnisitive grave irony, and the most whimsical indulgences of point and epigram : we doubt if even Butler beats the author
of these ' Legends' in the easy drollery of verse. We cannot open a page that is
not sparkling with its wit and humour-that is not ringing with its strokes of pleasantry and satire."-REminer.

in

16

MR. BENTLEY'S LIST OF NEW WORKS.

WILLIAM JAMES.

James's Naval History of Great Britain,
with

a

Continuation to the Battle of Navarino.

By Captain

CHAMIER.

Embellished with 23 beautiful Portraits of the most
distinguished Officers engaged in the late eventful War. 6 xols.
demy 8vo, 42s.
"This book is one of which it is not too high praise to assert, that it approaches
as nearly to perfection, in its own line, as any historical work perhaps ever did.
The principal transactions narrated in it, and we trust by this time the narrative
itself, are fortunately too well known to require a detailed notice of its contents.
But a general sketch of its plan, and the manner of its execution, will, we think,
convince our readers that the high character we have given of it is not exaggerated.
Mr. James commences his work with a very useful Introduction, in which he briefly
and clearly sketches the progress of Naval Architecture in Great Britain, and the
origin of the principal improvements in the British Navy before the time of the
French Revolution. The history itself opens with the declaration of war in 1793,
and closes with the general peace of 1815.* Every year between these two periods
occupies a separate division of the work; and every such division is sqbdivided
under three heads, detailing respectively the movements of the hostile fleets, the
encounters of single ships and boat attacks, and all colonial naval operations. The
research necessary to procure materials for twenty-eight such abstracts, and the
labour of composing them, must have been so great that they alone may be considered as a striking monument of industry. With a candour almost as uncommon
as his accuracy, he never fails to notice any variation of consequence in the statements of the hostile party; and either to refute it by argument, or fairly to balance
it with the opposing testimony. We cannot contemplate without admiration the
impartial and unwearied zeal for historical truth, which alone could have supported
him through his tedious and thankless labours."-EdinburghReview.
* Since brought down to the Battle of Navarino.

J. W. KAYE.

Memorials of Indian Government.
By HENRY ST. GEORGE TUCKER.
KAYE. 8vo, 16s.

Edited by JOHN WILLIAM

J. W. KAYE.

/The

Ife

of Henry St. George [Pucker,

late Accountant-General

of Bengal, and

East India Company.

By JOHN WILLIAM

Portrait.

Chairman of the Hon.

KAYE.

8vo, 16s8.

MR. BENTLEY'S LIST OF NEW WORKS.

17

J. W. KAYE.

History of the War
By JOHN WILLIAM KAYE.

in Afghanistan.
3 vols. I2mo, 15s.

fidelity,

whilst
"This vivid narrative is written with scrupulous and unflinching
even the best-known details acquire the freshness of novelty from the skill displayed
in weaving them into a narrative. Mr. Klaye's laborious researches seem to have been
guided by a love of truth powerful enough to divest his mind of all personal partialities. The Afghan war is now presented to us with an approach to dramatic unity of
form and purpose, the development of the plot subserving to the legitimate end of
all dramatic composition-the enforcement of a great moral truth."-Quarterly Review.

MISS KAVANAGH.

Madeline; a Tale of Auvergne.
By JULIA KAvANAEIH, Author of 'Nathalie.'

Second Edition.

Small vo, Illustration, 3s. 6d.
" One of those rare books which at once touch the feelings by a simple and forcible
truthfulness to nature. It is destined to permanent popularity, and the name of
the writer wil be marked with those of Madame Cottin and St. Pierre."-Atlas.

R. B. KIDD.

The Primary Principlesof Reasoning.
A Delineation of the Primary Principles of Reasoning. By ROBERT
BOYD KIDD, B.A., Perpetual Curate of Botley, Suffolk. Post 8vo,
9s. 6d.
" I know the most eminent logicians existing, and I do not know Mr. Kiddl's superior."--Archbishop Wheteli,.

COLONEL LAKE.

The -Defence of Kars.
Historical and Military Narrative of the Defence of Kars. By
Colonel ATWELL LAKE, C.B. With numerous Lithographic Illustrations. Svo. 15s.
"This work is a military study, and should become a class-book."-Leader.

COLONEL LAKE.

The Story of our Captivity.
Story of our Captivity in Russia. By Colonel ATWELL LAKE, C.
Post 8vo, 38. 6d.

18

MR. BENTLEY'S LIST OF NEW WORKS.

M. DE LAMARTINE.

Memoirs of Remarkable Characters.
By ALPHONSE DE LAMARTINE.

New Edition, 3 vols. crown 8vo,

15s.
" This work will materially raise the reputation of Lamartine. Along with the
brilliancy of stile and warmth of imagination which characterize all his writings, we
find here gravity of thought and earnestness of purpose. The subject also is well
suited to his peculiar genius and talents. As a sketcher of historical scenes and of
historical characters, choosing his own subjects, suggested by his own tastes or sympathies, no living author is capable of greater or more successful efforts. In these
volumes we have a gallery of illustrious portraits, drawn in bold and striking style,
and glowing with life-like feeling and expression. The translation of the work has
been prepared with care, and in several cases historical inaccuracies are pointed out
and corrected."-LiteraryGazette.

DR. LEE.

The Last Days of the Emperor Alexander
and the First Days of the Emperor Nicholas.

ByROBERT LEE, M.D.

Small 8vo, 3s. 6d.

------

hie Ladies of Bever Hollow.
By the Author of' Mary Powell,' etc.

New Edition, small 8vo, 5s.

SThis is a thoroughly English story. The incidents are slight, and not exciting;
but the characters are well drawn, and the conversations being full of life and spirit,
the interest never for a moment flags. The author of ' Mary Powell' has in this
picture of country life proved herself a literary Gainsborough."-Athenaum.
"Simple and quiet is the new tale by the authoress of ' Mary Powell.' It is a half
old-fashioned, half new-fashioned, tale of country life, and country love, and country
gossipings."-Examiner.

M'CAUSLAND.

Sermons in Stones ;
or, Scripture confirmed by Geology.

By D. M'CAUSLAND.

Sixth

Edition, small 8vo, with Nineteen Illustrations, 4s.
The object of the author in this work is to prove that the Mosaic narrative of the
Creation is reconcilable with the established facts of geology; and that geology not
only establishes the truth of the first page of the Bible, but that it furnishes the
most direct and sensible evidence of the fact of Divine inspiration, and thereby
authenticates the whole canon of Scripture. The word of God is thus authenticated
by His works.

MR. BENTLEY'S LIST OF NEW WORKS.

19

LIEUT. MARTELLI, R.N.

Naval Oficer's Guide
for Preparing Ships for Sea.

By Lieut. CHARLES MARTELLI, R.N.

Fcap. 8vo, 6s.
"A masterly exposition of those complex details on which the efficiency of our
ships depends."-United Service Journal.

GENERAL MARKHAX.

Shooting Scenes in the Himalayas,
Chinese Tartary, Ladak, Thibet, etc.
HAM, 91st Regiment.

By the late GENEAL MARX-

Imperial 8vo, with Lithographic Illustra-

tions, 21s.
"These sporting adventures in the loftiest region of the globe are rapid, readable,
varied, interesting, and never tedious from overdoing. The introduction of rare
animals is accompanied by an account of them, and the narrative is relieved by pic.
tures of the sublime scenery among which the pursuit led, as well as by anecdotes and
sketches of the people. The character of the Colonel is well adapted to the style of
the sportsman: frank, genial, and with fine spirits, he has also a wide knowledge of
men and sporting."-Spectator.

LORD

MAHON.

Letters and Works of PhiliplDormerStanhope,
Earl of Chesterfield.
hitherto

unpublished.

(Earl Stanhope).

Including numerous Letters and Sketches
Now first collected.

By Lord MAHON

Five vols., 8vo, with Portrait, 56s.

"Of these famous letters it cannot be said that until now they had received even a
decent measure of editorial care. Lord Mahon has reproduced them entire, and for
the first time filled up names left in blank, and explained hints and allusions which
the lapse of another generation would have condemned to hopeless obscurity. When
we compare Lord Mahon's copy with what we had had before, it is hardly too much
to say that he has given us a new work. Whatever could wound anybody's feelings
had been omitted; in other words, a very large proportion of whatever could throw
light on the secret history of parties and public men in Lord Chesterfield's time-very
many letters entirely-the most striking paragraphs of half the rest. The lacunw
are now filled up as far as was possible, and the whole illustrated by notes brief and
clear."-QuarterlyReview.

20

MR. BENTLEY'S LIST OF NEW WORKS.

MRS. COLIN MACKENZIE.

The Great Day of Atonement ;
or, Meditations and Prayers on the last Twenty-four Hours of the
Sufferings and Death of our Lord and Saviour

Jesus' Christ.

Translated from the German of CHARLOTTE ELIZABETH NEBELIN.
Edited by Mrs. COLIN MACKENZIE,
Camp, and the Zenana,' etc.

Author of ' The Mission, the

Post 8vo, 2s. 6d.

This work was written by the daughter of the honoured Pastor Rambach, about
the middle of the last century, and was revised by the venerable Pastor Kdllner, who,
being in his 75th year, thanked God that he had been permitted to finish this revision.

THE

EARL OF MALMESBURY.

Diary of the Earl of Malmesbury.
The Diaries and Correspondence

of the Earl of Malmesbury.

Edited by his Grandson, the present Earl.

4 vols. 8vo, 42s. Por-

traits.
"This mode of anticipating history has great charms. Howmuch more delightful
to us must be the sketches of George III. and George IV.-Queen Charlotte and
Queen Caroline-Pitt and Fox-Canning and Windham (to say nothing of minor
portraits)-all fresh, as it were, from the hand of a painter, their contemporary, and
in some degree ours-than they will be in another generation. No extracts that our
space would allowus to make could afford an adequate idea of the great mass of
mingled gossip and history to be found in these volumes. To us nothing can be more
attractive; we seem to be living our youth over again."-QuarterlyReview.

REV. J. B. MARSDEN.

Dictionary of Christian Churches and Sects,
from the Earliest Ages of Christianity.

By the Rev. J. B. MARS-

DEN, Incumbent of St. Peter's, Birmingham,
History of the Early and Later Puritans," etc.
one handsome Volume.

Author of

"The

New Edition, in

8vo, 12s.

"Mr. Marsden's information is well digested, his judgment sound and impartial,
his manner of statement not only clear, but with a sustained vividness. The work
has somewhat the appearance of an Encyclopaedia, but it is only in appearance. The
exposition has the freshness of an original work. The philosophic impartiality of the
author should not be passed over. He has, of course, opinions, but he indulges in
no violence or harshness of censure. The arrangement is well adapted for the im.
portant point of conveying complete and full information."-Spectator.

MR. BENTLEY'S LIST OF NEW WORKS.

21

A Timely Retreatfrom Meerut.
By Two SISTERS. Second Edition. 2 vols. post Svo. Illustrations,
"We have not had such a picture of Anglo-Indian daily life since the late Miss
Roberts published her experiences. But these two volumes have an additional
interest; it was a plucky undertaking, and the narrative is told with animation
and truthfulness. "-Spectator.

Notes on Noses.
Hints towards a Classification of Noses.
trations. 2s.

With numerous Illus-

"Worthy of Lawrence Sterne."--Morning Pest.
',

6000 copies of this little book have been sold.

SIR CHARLES NAPIER.

The History, of the Baltic Campaign of 1854.
From Documents and other Materials furnished by Vice-Admiral
BUTLER EARP.
Edited by
Sir CHARLES NAPIER, R.C.B.
8vo, 16*.

G.

Philip Paternoster.
A Tractarian Love Story.

2 vols. small 8vo, 12s.

"A smart and slasbing production, written with the intention of exterminating
Puseyism, by making every Puseyite thoroughly ashamed of himself."-Morning
Star.

22

MR. BENTLEY'S LIST OF NEW WORKS.

REV. HENRY POLEHAMPTON.

Polehampton Letters and Diaries.
A Memoir, Letters, and Diary of the late Rev. Henry S. Polehampton, Fellow of Pembroke College, Oxford, Chaplain of Lucknow.

The Diary extends to July 18, 1857, two days before his

death in

the Residency, from which date it is continued by his

Widow.

Edited by the Rev. EDWARD POLEHAMPTON, M.A., and

the Rev. THOMAS

STEDMAN

Pembroke College, Oxford.

POLEHAMPTON,

M.A.,

Fellows

of

Second Edition, in post 8vo, with

Illustrations, 10s. 6d.
" This book is one which needs no praise : it is of no pretence, offering simply a
loving account of a good man's life, closed amid circumstances that made it heroic."
-Athenzeum.
" The name of the brave, overworked Chaplain who died in the siege of Lucknow,
and the noble devotion of his widow to the sick and wounded, are well known whereever there are Englishmen to read the story of the Indian war. The inventions
of the novelist are good indeed if they are not surpassed in interest by records
like these."-Examiner.

Quits.
By the Author of ' The Initials.'

3 vols. post 8vo, 15s.

"Witty, sententious, graphic, full of brilliant pictures of life and manners, it is
positively one of the best of modern stories, and may be read with delightful interest
from cover to cover."-Morning Post.

Quinland; or, Varieties inAmerican Life.
2 vols. post 8vo, 7s. 6d.
" Here we have every variety of American life; life in a clearing, life in an American village, and the fashionable life of large towns. We have farmers, storekeepers,
and gentlemen; physicians, lawyers, and alchemists; hunters, horse-stealers, and
usurers; roguish misers in council with keen attorneys; and ambitious senators
bribing unscrupulous journalists."-Press.

CHARLES READE.

It is Never too Late to Mend.
By CHARLES READE.

Crown 8vo, 5s. edition, with Illustrations.

Also square 8vo, 2s. Edition.
" Written with amazing spirit."-Press.
** The sale of this work in all forms has reached 57,000 copies.

MR. BENTLEY'S LIST OF NEW WORKS.

23

1i'ta: an Autobiography.
2 vols. post Svo, 21s.
"The writing in this book sometimes attains the difficult virtue of a strong simplicity. Here and there the observation of character is singularly acute."-Literary
Gazette.
"Let readers take up the quiet, gentle, sensible 'Rita;' she will tell them a story
of no wonderful incidents, but she will be found narrating the details of a life wherein
are the essentials of a novel."-Athenueum.
" Neatness of style, pointedness of expression, and cleverness of remark are observable in almost every page. The book is nowhere dull, everywhere displays great
freshness, and much vigour of style and power of observation."-Press.

]RS. ROXER.

Jiliia Dolorosa.
Memoirs of the Last Dauphine.
tion, crown 8vo, 12s. Portrait.
-Exqulsitely

By Mrs. ROER.

Second Edi-

told."-Dcily News.

"A. more touching picture was never presented to the mind"-literary Gazette.

LORD JOHN RUSSELL

Iklemorials and Correspondence of Charles
By the Right Hon. Lord JOHN RUSSELL, M.P.
James Fox.
4 vols. 8vo, 56s.
"No Englishman who desires to understand the history of his country from 1768

to 1807 ca fail to read this work with advantage and pleasure."-Edinburghs
Review.

The ]Rule

V

Passion.

Three vols., post 8vo, 15s.
"The plot of 'The Ruling Passion' is original, the characters well sketehed, and
the style good.

It is beyond all question a novel of a high order."-Johns Bull.

24

MR. BENTLEY'S LIST OF NEW WORKS.

Salad for the Social.
By the Author of 'Salad for the Solitary.'

Post 8vo, 10s. 6d.

"The essence of a library, the information of a lifetime."-Morning Chronicle.

LADY SCOTT.

TIypes and Antitypes
of the Old and New Testament.
Post 8vo, 5s. 6d.

By the Hon. LADY SCOTT.

"It is but justice to the author of the present volume to state that she has, on the
whole, acquitted herself with much ability and sound judgment. Her book will be
useful to the class of readers for whom it is principslly intended, the young and the
comparatively ignorant and uninstructed."-John Bull.

REV. W. S. SYNONDS, F.G.S.

Stones of the Valley.
By the Rev. W.

S. SYMONDS,

F.G.S., Rector of Pendock, Author

of ' Old Stones,' and President of the Malvern Natural History
Field Club. Foolscap 8vo, 5s.

"Notwithstanding Mr. Symonds's eminent position as a geologist,

he has never lost

sight of that simplicity in conveying instruction which renders his work admirably
suited for the earliest students. "-JohnBull..

M. SIMON.

Natural Beligqion.
By JULES SIMONT.

Translated by J. W. COLE.

Post Svo, 6:.

" In France, this work has passed through three large editions. It is, indeed, a
masterly performance, written with uncommon force and beauty."-P'ress.
" The brevity and force of the reasoning, and the singular aptness of illustration
which abound in it, remind one of the most striking passages in Pascal."-Johkn
Bull.

MR. BENTLEY'S LIST

OF NEW

2

WORKS.

25

GEORGE AUGUSTUS SALA.

dJourney/Due North;
A
and Street Life in St. Petersburg. By GEORGE AUGUSTUS SALA,
Author of " Twice Round the Clock," etc. Crown 8vo, 5s.
"Mr. Sala's pictures of St. Petersburg are vivid and effective beyond those of
most travellers. We never remember to have seen before so complete a description
of the Gostinnoidvor, or general bazaar, so universal in the Russian towns. Tbe
The droscbky-driver of St. Petersburg is portrayed with the literal truth and height.
ened effect of a coloured daguerreotype."-Timnes.
"Lively, witty, entertaining, smartly grapbic in description, intensely 'funny.'
The book will find many readers who will peruse its pages with pleasure and amusement, not unmixed with information."-Literary Gazette.
Due
"Mr. Sala is an admirable companion, full of fun and humour. He dashes
tbe
North in high glee, and keeps his companion all alive with racy sketches
beginning to the end of the journey"-Sunday Times.
considerable intellectual
"Mr. Sala is a gentleman not only of quaint wit but of
power. His descriptions of Russian hotels, Russian villages, etc., are all well done."

off
from

-Press.

MISS TILT.

The Old Palace.
By JULIA TILT, Author of ' May Hamilton.' 2 vols. post Svo, 21s.
"The

mystery of this story is resolved in an ending of considerable

power."-

Syectator.

M. THIERS.

History of the French JRevolution.
By M. TRIERS.

5 vols. crown 8vo, with 41 Illustrations.

25s.

Illustrationswkick accompan~y tis Work.
VOL. I.-l. Attack on the Bastille.-2. Portrait of the Duke of
Orleans (Egalt).-3. Portrait of Mirabeau.-4.. Portrait of Lafayette.-5. Orgies of the Gardes du Corps.-6. Portrait of Marie
Antoinette.-'7. Return of the Royal Family from Varennes.8. Portrait of Marat.-9. The Mob at the Tuileries.-1O. Attack
on the Tuileries.
VOL. II.-11. Murder of the Princess de Lamballe.-12. Portrait
of the Princess de

Lamballe.-13.

Portrait of Madame Roland.-

MR. BENTLEY'S LIST OF NEW WORKS.

26

14. Louis XVI. at the Convention.-15.Lust Interview of Louis
Portrait
XVI. with his Family.-16. Portrait of Louis
of Dumouriez.-18. Triumph of Marat.-19. Portrait of LarocheJacquelin.
VOL. III.-20. Assassination of Marat.-21. Portrait of Charlotte Corday.-22. Portrait of Camille-Desmoulins.-23. Condemnation of Marie Antoinette.-24. Portrait of Daily (Mayor of
PorParia)-25. Trial of Danton, Camille.Desmoulins,
trait of Danton.-27. Portrait of Madame Elisabeth.-28. Carrier
at Nantes.-29. Portrait of Robespierre.
VOL. IV:-30. Last Victims of the Reign of Terror.-31. Portrait of Charette.-32. Death of the Deputy Feraud.-33. Death
of Romnie, Goujon, Duquesnoi, etc.-34. Portrait of Louis XVII.
-35. The 13th Vendemiaire (5th October, 1795).
VOL.- V.-36. Summoning to Execution.-37. Portrait of Pichegru.-38. Portrait of Moreau.-39. Portrait of Hoche.-40. Portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte.-41: The 18th Brumaire (10th
November, 1799).

XVI.-17.

etc.-26.

libraries

have been written on the French
"The palm of excellence, after whole
Revolution) has been assigned to the dissimilar histories of Thiers and lignet."William H. Prescott.
"I am readingThiers's French Revolution, which I find it difficult to lay down."-

Rev.

Sydney Smith.

MRS. WEBB.

The

MJartyrs of Carthage.

By Mrs. WEBB, Author of ' Naomi.'
with Two Illustrations, 5s.

Second Edition. Fcap. 8vo,

"A deeply interesting and most ably-written work."-Morning Herald.

MRS. WEBB.

Idatine.
A Tale of the Egyptian Bondage. By Mrs. WEBB, Author of
NaIomi.' Fcap. 8vo, with Illustration, 5s.
" A tone of earnestness and piety pervades this narrative."-Mforaing Herald.

MR. BENTLEY'S LIST OF NEW WORKS.

27

ANTHONY TROLLOPE.

[lke Three Clerks.
By ANTHONY TROLLOPE.
8vo, 2s. 6d.

post

3 vole,

8vo,

l08. Gd.;"also, post

"Mr. Trollope amply bears out in this work the reputation he acquired by 'Barchester Towers.' There is a great field for amusing description in the varieties of
London life brought before us through the various characters of Mr. Trollope's story.
We regard the tenderness and self-sacrifice of Linda one of the most graceful and
touching pictures of feminine heroism in the whole range of modern novels. We do
not know any living writer who draws the portraiture of women
delicately or
faithfully than Mr. Trollope."-Johns Bull.
"Here are scenes from family life, more true, more pathetic, and more skilfully
sustsined than any that can be found, except in the writings of family novelists.'&ste-day Review.

more

A. WILLS.

Wanderings among the High Alps.
By ALFRED WLLS. Small 8vo, 7s. 6d.

New Edition.

"The new edition of Mr. Wills's ' Wanderings' is a welcome hook, not only for its
agreeable home-reading as a description of scenery, and a narrative of adventures
bravely undertaken and well sustained; hut for its use as a stimulator to healthy
exertion in a somewhat languid age, and as a companion-guide to those who may
follow in the writer's footsteps. The form of the new edition is handy, and more
fitted for a pocket companion than the original edition, with sketch-maps that save
the trouble of reference. There is also additional matter, including a new chapter
on the ascent of Mont Blanc."-Spectator.

DR. WHATELY.

illental Culture
Required for Christian Ministers.
bishop of Dublin. 8vo, 1$.

By RICHARD WHATELY, Arch-

DR. WHATELY.

Selections from Writings of ]i'ichard W7hately,
Archbishop of Dublin.

Fcap. 8vo, 5s., or bound in calf, 88. Gd.

"Thisvolume contains the pith, the cream, the choice hits of Archbishop Whately's
writings. One of his great charms is his style, as clear as that of Cobbett and Paley."
--Athsens am.

28

MR.

BENTLEY'S LIST OF NEW WORKS.

CHRISTOPHER WINTER.

Six Months in British Burmah;
or, India beyond the Ganges in 1857-58. By CRISTOPHER
WINTER. Post 8vo, with Illustrations, 10s. 6d.
" Instead of a diffuse narrative, Mr. Winter has compressed his notes of a six
months' residence in British Burmah into a manual form. His personal adventures occupy comparatively few pages, followed by a series of chapters on the administration, inhabitants, birds, beasts, reptiles, products, climate, language, religion,
and history of the province. The volume has its characteristic merit, as being a
neat and comprehensive description of a very interesting country not yet exhausted
by the enthusiasm of travellers."-Athenewm.

C. D. YONGE.

Latin and English Dictionary.
A New Phraseological English-Latin and Latin-English Dictionary
By C. D. YoNGE.
Part I. English-Latin, 9s. 6d.
Part II. Latin-English, 7s. 6d.
Or the whole work complete in One Volume, strongly bound in
roan, 158.
It was suggested to Mr. Yonge, some years ago, to undertake this
work. It has been submitted to the most eminent scholars and masters
of schools in the kingdom (Dr. Goodford, Head Master of Eton; Dr.
Moberly, of Winchester; Dr. Vaughan, of Harrow; Dr. Goulburn, of
Rugby; and Dr. Jelf, of King's College, London), who all agree that a
careful examination of Mr. Yonge's Dictionary has convinced them that
it would fully supply the want so greatly felt.
They have, in consequence, authorized the book to be described as
published "For the use of Eton, Winchester, Harrow, and Rugby
Schools, and King's College, London," and ordered that it shall be, for
the future, the only English-Latin dictionary used in those, the principal places of education in the kingdom.
"A very capital book, either for the somewhat advanced pupil, the student who
aims at acquiring an idiomatic Latin style, or the adult with a knowledge of the language. It is the best-we were going to say the only really useful-Anglo-Latin Dictionary we ever met with."-pectator.

JOHN

RDWARDTAYLOR,PRINTER,
LITTLE QURUNSTRuST, LINCOLN'S INN

FIULDS.

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