[20] Départements. The present divisions of French territory, numbering eighty-seven in all. Each department is administered by a préfet, and subdivided into arrondissements, each of which has a sous-préfet. [Trans.]
[21] Prince de Joinville. Third son of Louis Philippe, and an Admiral in the French navy. It was he who was sent to fetch Napoleon’s remains from St. Helena. [Trans.]
[22] Of the Legion of Honour.
[23] Hectare: French measure of surface, about 2⅓ acres. [Trans.]
[24] Conseil-Général de département. A representative assembly for the general management of each département, somewhat similar to the County Councils in England. [Trans.]
[25] Le Verrier, a celebrated astronomer, at that time Director of the Paris Observatory. His calculations led him to surmise the existence of the planet Neptune, which was discovered accordingly. Adam, an English astronomer, attained the same result, by the same means, at the same time, each of the two scientists being in absolute ignorance of the work of the other. Le Verrier was the first to publish his discovery. [Trans.]
[26] Ancient name of the high flat ground surrounding Chartres and including parts of the Departments of Eure et Loir, Loir et Cher, Loiret and Seine et Oise. These plains are very fertile, the soil being extremely rich, and produce cereals chiefly. [Trans.]
[27] Val-de-Grâce. A handsome monument of the seventeenth century, now a military hospital. [Trans.]
[28] By Dr. Smiles. [Trans.]
[29] Ps. cxxxvii. 9.