t she has for the
understandings of the generality of her acquaintance has made her
indifferent to please and incapable of taking any delight in
general society. Her manners are very dignified and graceful, and
she is extremely accomplished. She sometimes endeavours to assume
popular and gracious manners, but she does this languidly and
awkwardly, because it is done with an effort. She carries _ennui_
to such a pitch that even in the society of her most intimate
friends she frequently owns that she is bored to death. She
writes memoirs, or rather a journal, of all that falls under her
observation. She is so clever, has so much imagination and
penetration, that they must be very entertaining. She writes as
well as talks with extraordinary ease and gracefulness, and both
her letters and her conversation are full of point; yet she is
not liked, and has made hardly any friends. Her manners are
stately and reserved, and so little _bonhomie_ penetrates through
her dignity that few feel sufficiently attracted to induce them
to try and thaw the ice in which she always seems bound.[26]

[26] [A very imperfect character of Princess Lieven, with
whom Mr. Greville was at this time but slightly
acquainted. But in after years he became one of her
most intimate and confidential friends, and she
frequently reappears in the course of these memoirs.]

February 5th, 1819 {p.016}

I have finished Madame de Stael's 'Considerations sur la
Revolution Francaise.' It is the best of her works, extremely
eloquent, containing the soundest political opinions conveyed in
a bold and eloquent style. It is perhaps too philosophical
and not sufficiently relieved by anecdotes and historical
illustrations. Her defence of her father is written with much
enthusiasm and great plausibility, but the judgment of the world
concerning Necker is formed, and it is too late to alter it. The
effect of her eloquence is rather weakened by the recollection of
her conduct to him, for she lived with him as little as possible,
because she could not bear the _ennui_ of Coppet.[27]

[27] [In the latter years of Madame de Stael's life Coppet
became one of the most brilliant social resorts in
Europe, for she attracted there the Schlegels, B.
Constant, Bonstetten, Sismondi, Byron, and a host of
other celebrities. Towards her father Madame de Stael
expressed the most pass