ined to coincide in that benevolent
verdict of the best of judges of human nature and human frailty,
"Neither do I condemn thee, go and sin no more," than in criticising the
character of Josephine.

[Illustration: MALMAISON]

I am not sure whether you know exactly the history of Malmaison. The
house and land attached to it were purchased by Buonaparte when First
Consul, and given to Josephine, who made it what it is, and bought more
land, so that it is now in fact a little Estate. On being divorced, she
retired thither with Eugene Beauharnais, her son, and younger children.
Her pursuits and occupations will be best understood by describing what
we saw. I should say, before I proceed, that it required some interest
to get in, and that we went with the Hibberts, who knew the secretary of
the Swedish Ambassador, in whose suite we were incorporated for
admission. The chief room in the house is what is called the Gallery A,
planned and finished according to her own designs; the floor is a mass
of dark inlaid marble, the ceiling arched and light admitted from it,
the whole not much unlike the Gallery at Winnington on a much larger
scale. It would be difficult to describe the fitting up of the interior.
The walls are hung with the most exquisite selections from ancient
Masters, not stolen, but many given to her, and the rest purchased by
herself; but I was more struck by the statues than with any thing else.
The dots represent them and their situations in the Gallery; they are
chiefly by two modern artists, Canova and Boher, though I fear the
reputation of my taste and judgment will suffer by the confession. I
still must confess that I felt far more pleasure than in looking either
upon Apollo or the Venus de Medicis. There was a Bust and Statue of
herself, the latter particularly beautiful, and if accurate, which I was
assured it was, the original must have been elegant and interesting to
the last degree. It reminded me much of Lady Charlemont, with a stronger
expression of sense. The rest of the room was furnished with tables
inlaid with marble, upon which were a variety of bronzes, pieces of
armour, &c., and her musical instruments were as she had left them, and
everything wore an appearance of comfort which is seldom seen in the
midst of such magnificence. Through folding doors you enter into a
smaller room hung with pictures. C. was her chapel; before a little
unostentatious altar, which had every appearance of having dai