reets are in general narrow and
irregular, and so much alike that it requires no small skill to find
one's way home again. Ariadne in Paris would wish for her clue. First we
ascended the bronze column[40] in the Place de Vendome--figure to
yourself a column perfect in proportions much resembling Nelson's in
Dublin, ornamented after the plan of Trajan's pillar--all of bronze, on
which the operations of the wars and victories in Germany are recorded.
Bonaparte's statue crowned it, but that was removed. The column itself,
however, will remain an eternal statue commemorating his deeds, and
though the Eagles and letter N are rapidly effacing from every quarter,
this must last till Paris shall be no more. From the top of this pillar
you of course have a magnificent view, and it must have been a choice
spot from whence to behold the fight of Montmartre. It will scarcely
interest you much to say much about the other public buildings, suffice
it to say that all the improvements are in the very best
style--magnificent to the last degree; they may be the works of a
Tyrant, but it was a Tyrant of taste, who had more sense than to spend
120,000 Louis in sky-rockets. His public buildings at least were for the
public good, and were ornaments to his capital.

But let us turn from inanimate to living objects; since I penned the
last line I have been sitting with Mme. de Stael.... By appointment we
called at 12.[41] For a few moments we waited in a gaudy drawing-room;
the door then opened and an elderly form dressed _a la jeunesse_
appeared; she is not ugly; she is not vulgar (Edward begs to differ from
this opinion, he thinks her ugly beyond measure); her countenance is
pleasing, but very different from anything my fancy had formed; a pale
complexion not far from that of a white Mulatto, if you will allow me to
make the bull; her eyebrows dark and her hair quite sable, dry and crisp
like a negro's, though not quite so curling. She scarcely gave me time
to make my compliments in French before she spoke in fluent English. I
was not sorry she fought under British colors, for though she was never
at a loss, I knew I could express and defend myself better than had she
spoken in French. I hurried her as much as decency would permit from one
subject to another, but I found politics were uppermost in her
thoughts.... She was equally averse to both parties--to the royal
because she said it was despotism; the Imperial because it was tyranny.
"Is