5th.—Accompanied Lady Stafford and Charles Ruffo to the Chambre des Députés. The house is in the form of an ancient theatre, but the speakers are not well heard—and speakers they should not be called, for they read their discourses, and in a very monotonous way. We heard none of the famous personages, to be sure, but there was one of the Côté Droit, another of the Côté Gauche, and another half and half. I clearly perceive that they wish to prove that they have much judgment, are great reasoners, and that they have what is called “aplomb.” For this purpose they are as dull as possible, and I judge, not only from what I now heard, but from the speeches of some of their most able men which I have read. The question was about the budget, and the man who came from the Côté Gauche was a caricature of our reformers, for the small sum which he objected to appeared really ludicrous. All he said was aimed against Government and the clergy. One of his expressions was, “Pourquoi devons-nous payer tant pour nous faire gouverner?” and another, “Deux cent cinquante francs à des gens qui ne s’occupent qu’à rester au coin de leur feu, ou peut-être pis encore.” I am afraid ten pounds a year would not make them very warm au coin du feu. It is true the Côté Droit had the good taste to laugh vehemently at some of these tirades.
In the evening I was at a party at Lady Elizabeth Stuart’s, where, by crowding all together into the middle of the room, we contrived to appear a great many English; but I do not think there are so many as in former years since the peace.
18th.—Dined at Lord Stafford’s. Humboldt, the traveller, Denon, Mr. Fazakerley,[[85]] &c., were there. Humboldt talks much, and with great vivacity. Denon I had not seen since 1796, when he was Secretary of Embassy, with M. le Baron de Talleyrand, at Naples, since when he has been made a Baron.[[86]] He is now wild after lithography, and I saw a portrait which he had done extremely well. His etchings formerly were very spirited.
21st.—The weather is by no means warm yet, but it has not rained for some days, notwithstanding the ill-omen of St. Médard.[[87]] The Duchess-Dowager of Orleans has been for several weeks in a sad state with a cancer, and her release is daily expected. Two days ago she received the pon-tifical benediction from the Nuncio, and has blessed her children and grandchildren.
23rd.—The Duchess of Orleans died this day. She was a woman of great good nature, and very charitable, but weakly guided by a man who, she thought, had saved her life and property. Perhaps he had, but scandal, very unjustly I believe, took advantage of her gratitude, while his disagreeable manners made him many enemies. He died a year ago, but his widow remained with the Duchess. The Duchess leaves an immense property, of which one-third goes to her daughter (Madame Adelaide) and two-thirds to the Duke, besides legacies and pensions to her ladies and servants. The mourning is to be six days in black and six in white.
24th.—At Lord Stafford’s I met at dinner the Abbé de Montesquiou-Fénezac,[[88]] an entertaining, agreeable man, and one of the last survivors of the class of “aimables abbés” of the times of yore. His manners are particularly good. As a minister he did not shine. He seemed much attached to the Duke d’Angoulême.
27th.—Dined at Epinay, at Madame de G.’s. The Bishop of St. Cloud went with me: a sensible, respectable man. Count Sorzo, a Ragusan, whom I had formerly met at Rome and Venice, dined there, as also a Frenchman, whose father having been consul at Ragusa, he had had the good fortune to be educated there. By which means he had acquired wonderful knowledge (for a consul), and they say he writes Latin verses with great facility, like the Ragusans themselves. He has himself been consul in the Levant. His conversation, and that of Count Sorzo, were very interesting. Mme. de Boufflers,[[89]] widow of the Chevalier Count de Sabran, and her son by her first husband, who is an elegant poet, and other clever people, dined there; yet it was not a “blue” dinner—there was no pretension. The gardens are very pretty; a lake, with a bridge of cords over it, in imitation of the American ones described by Humboldt; grottos; the Temple of Truth, with mirrors reflecting every way, &c. &c.
July 4th.—The King and Royal Family went to St. Cloud, to stay a month. His Majesty does not like moving from the Tuileries, where he has his books and his visitors, but the apartments require cleaning and repairing.
6th.—Received a telegraphic account of the death of Bonaparte.[[90]]
17th.—I have observed very little sensation occasioned by the death of Bonaparte. Dr. F——, who lives in the Place Vendôme, told me he observed a sort of procession walk round the column in the night, but not of military men. They were probably students, who, particularly those of surgery and medicine, are disaffected to the present Government. I heard also of some who carried staves in their hands, walking in companies in the Palais Royal and in the Rue des Petits Champs, but nothing of consequence.