When translated, something like this:
“Erd’ geht auf Erde glänzend in Gold,
Erd’ geht zur Erde früher denn wollt’;
Erd’ baut auf Erde Schlösser von Stein,
Erd’ sagt zur Erde—Alles ist mein!’
True enough; for earth we were, are, and shall be.
A little concert concluded the evening; in which the very pretty daughter of the great bard,—a healthy-looking Highland beauty,—took part; and Miss Stephens sang nothing but Scotch ballads. It was not till late in the night that I reached London and enriched my book of memoranda with a sketch of Sir Walter Scott—very like, for which I am indebted to the kindness of my hostess. As none of the engravings I have seen resemble him, I shall send you a copy with this letter.
April 27th.
The ‘trouble’ of this day was very monotonous; only a dinner at the Spanish ambassador’s furnished me with one agreeable recollection. A Spanish girl, full of fire and beauty, sang boleros in such a manner that they awakened a completely new musical sense in me. If I may judge from them, and from a fandango I once saw danced, Spanish society must be very different from ours, and far more ‘piquante.’
Yesterday I was invited ‘to meet the Dukes of Clarence and Sussex,’ declined the honour for the sake of meeting Mademoiselle H—— at our friend B——’s. I had not seen her, and great and small are now at her feet.
She is indeed an enchanting creature, and very dangerous to all who are either new in the world, or who have nothing to think of but their own pleasure. It is impossible to conceive a more unstudied and yet effective inborn coquetry, (if I may use the expression,) so child-like, so engaging, ‘et cependent le díable n’y perd rien.’
She seemed to seize my weak side as well as that of every other man, immediately, and talked to me, though without the slightest apparent design, only of what was likely to be appropriate and agreeable to me. The tones of my fatherland, too, fell from her pretty mouth in the stream of conversation, like pearls and diamonds, and the loveliest blue eyes lightened upon them like a spring sun behind a thin veil of clouds.
“To-morrow Kean plays Richard the Third,” said she carelessly. “The Duke of D—— has offered me his box;—would you like to accompany me?” That such an in invitation will supersede all others, follows of course.