October 7th.—Went to meet a party of English at Baron Denon’s, who has fine apartments on the Quai Voltaire, and a very large collection of paintings, bronzes, and drawings. He was Director of the Museum in the time of Bonaparte, and much patronised by him. There was a head by David, the beginning of a picture of Bonaparte when he was in Italy. The hair is like that of the Covenanters in the seventeenth century, and the countenance is that of an ill-natured, scowling boy. There was a curious ivory cabinet, with figures, said to be of the time of St. Louis, and an ivory bas-relief of Scripture history, from Constantinople, of the fourth century, besides paintings by Velasquez and Murillo, and a great quantity of lithographs by Denon himself, who is now engaged on a history of the Arts in different ages.
8th.—Went to dine with M. de G. at Epinay, and before dinner went with Madame de Boufflers, Count de Sabran (her son), and the Bishop of St. Cloud, to the house of Larive,[[92]] a celebrated actor, now retired from the stage, and aged seventy-five, but remarkably active and well in health. He has built a very pretty house on the summit of a steep hill, and made walks through the woods, cutting channels to drain off the water in a very curious way. For, as you ascend, you everywhere hear the water bubbling under your feet or beside you. He recited a couple of speeches with great effect.
18th.—I was invited by the Duchess of Orleans to Neuilly, to hear an improvisatore. His name is Pestrucci, brother of the medallist in England; he is also a painter. The Duchess de Berri, with one of her ladies and her equerry, came uninvited. There was a very small party.
His Majesty, having had two attacks of the gout at Hanover, does not come to Paris this winter. A turtle that had been sent for and kept for his arrival by the King of France, is now put to death.
November 5th.—The two Chambers opened at the Louvre by the King. Yesterday there was La Messe du St. Esprit, at Notre-Dame, which was attended by all the great personages of the kingdom.
About the end of November the ultra-Royalists and the Liberals joined together to attack Ministers. The King was very angry with their address, which was chiefly, if not entirely, penned by the former. The phrase which most hurt him was the implied suspicion that he would forget the honour of France to keep up a good intelligence with other nations.
December 10th.—As yet nothing has been done towards changing the Ministry. The Opposition now declare they will vote against the Budget, and if Ministers continue in a minority it is difficult to say how they will get on. In the mean while, this stupid business is canvassed in all societies, and leads to nothing entertaining or instructive.
The Prince and Princess of Denmark are here. I think them like our Royal Family. She is the grand-daughter of poor Caroline Matilda, and he the grandson of her persecutrix, the Dowager Queen. The Ambassadors will not give place to them, and they appear to assume very little state. They go by the names of the Count and Countess of Oldenburg.
15th.—A new Ministry.[[93]] Messieurs Villèle and Corbière for the Finance and Home Departments (Royalists); Viscount Mathieu de Montmorency, who was a Constitutionalist, for the Foreign Office; M. de Clermont-Tonnerre, also a Constitutionalist, for the Marine; Victor, Duke de Bellune, one of Bonaparte’s generals, who rose from the ranks, Minister of War—said to be an excellent Royalist. The ultras, on the whole, are much pleased. The Duke de Richelieu and all the former Ministers have resigned.