My regret at not having been at White's is stronger than my desire to go
was; it must have been the most splendid and interesting sight one could
ever hope to see.

* * * * *

On Friday, June 27th, Edward Stanley and Edward Leycester finally set
off and sailed from Portsmouth, all gay with festivities in honour of
the Allied Sovereigns.

Mrs. Stanley was left to spend the time of their absence at her father's
house in Cheshire, but the keen interest with which she would have
shared the journey was not forgotten by her husband.

The events of the tour were minutely chronicled in his letters to her,
and not only in letters, but in sketch books, filled to overflowing with
every strange group and figure which met the travellers on their way,
through countries which had been, although so near, prohibited for such
a long time that they had almost the interest of unknown lands.

_Mrs. E. Stanley to Lady Maria Stanley._

STOKE, _July 4, 1814_.

...That my curiosity may not catch cold in the too sudden transition
from exercise to inaction, the Shropshire and Cheshire Heroes have
followed me down here, and I have had the pleasure of seeing and hearing
of the crowds going to touch (for that is the present fashion of seeing,
or, to speak philosophically, _mode_ of _perception_) Lord Hill; and
yesterday I met Lord Combermere and his Bride at Alderley, and a worthy
Hero he is for Cheshire!

A folio from Havre just arrived. I am very noble, very virtuous, and
very disinterested--pray assure me so, for nothing else can console
me--it is too entertaining to send one extract.

CHAPTER III

UNDER THE BOURBON FLAG

French prisoners--Oldenburg bonnets--"Fugio ut Fulgor"--Soldiers of
the Empire--Paris--A French hotel--A walk through Paris--Portrait
of Madame de Stael--An English ambassador--The Louvre--French
tragedy--The heights of Montmartre--Cossacks in the Champs
Elysees--L900 for substitute--Napoleon's legacies to his
successor--A dinner at the English Embassy--Botany and
mineralogy--Party at Madame de Staels--A debate in the Corps
Legislatif--Malmaison--Elbowing the marshals--St Cloud and
Trianon--The Catacombs.

_Edward Stanley to his Wife._

LETTER I.

HAVRE, _June 26, 1814_.

We have passed the Rubicon--nous voila en France, all new, interesting,
and delightful. I know not where or how to begin--the observations of an
hour were I to paint in Miniature would fill my shee