hair, and a mild blue
eye, with an air of gentleness and dignity. The delicacy of his health
prevents him from moving in general society, or entering into public
life. He spends much of his time in reading, and devising and executing
schemes of practical benevolence for the welfare of his numerous
dependants.

I sought a little private conversation with the duchess in her boudoir,
in which I frankly confessed a little anxiety respecting the
arrangements of the day: having lived all my life in such a shady and
sequestered way, and being entirely ignorant of life as it exists in the
sphere in which she moves, such apprehensions were rather natural.

She begged that I would make myself entirely easy, and consider myself
as among my own friends; that she had invited a few friends to lunch,
and that afterwards others would call; that there would be a short
address from the ladies of England read by Lord Shaftesbury, which would
require no answer.

I could not but be grateful for the consideration thus evinced. The
matter being thus adjusted, we came back to the drawing room, when the
party began to assemble.

The only difference, I may say, by the by, in the gathering of such a
company and one with us, is in the announcing of names at the door; a,
custom which I think a good one, saving a vast deal of the breath we
always expend in company, by asking "Who is that? and that?" Then, too,
people can fall into conversation without a formal presentation, the
presumption being that nobody is invited with whom, it is not proper
that you should converse. The functionary who performed the announcing
was a fine, stalwart man, in full Highland costume, the duke being the
head of a Highland clan.

Among the first that entered were the members of the family, the Duke
and Duchess of Argyle, Lord and Lady Blantyre, the Marquis and
Marchioness of Stafford, and Lady Emma Campbell. Then followed Lord
Shaftesbury with his beautiful lady, and her father and mother, Lord and
Lady Palmerston. Lord Palmerston is of middle height, with a keen, dark
eye, and black hair streaked with gray. There is something peculiarly
alert and vivacious about all his movements; in short his appearance
perfectly answers to what we know of him from his public life. One has a
strange mythological feeling about the existence of people of whom one
hears for many years without ever seeing them. While talking with Lord
Palmerston I could but remember how often I had