d in other places? The madness of the
multitude will make no distinction; and as many pikes and swords may be
carried within the great library, as within the various depositories of the
monastic books. Pause awhile. Respect those collections of books, and you
will both respect yourselves and preserve the great national library. In
due time, we shall make a proper selection from them, and enrich the book
stores of the capital!" So spake M. Langles; and the Assembly assented to
his contre-projet--luckily for Paris and themselves.[161]

But nearly all these worthy characters, of whom I have just made mention,
had an opportunity of exhibiting their social qualities, of whatever
description, at a sort of FESTIVAL which I gave the other day (last
Wednesday) in honour of the _Roxburghe Club_--which met on that same day, I
presume, at the Clarendon Hotel. This Parisian Roxburghe Banquet went off
upon the whole with flying colours. You shall know as much about it as is
likely to interest you. Having secured my guests, (Messrs. DENON, GAIL,
LANGLES, VAN PRAET and MILLIN) and fixed both the place and hour of repast,
I endeavoured to dress out a little bill of fare of a _bibliomaniacal_
description--to rival, in its way, that of _Mons. Grignon_, in the _Rue
Neuve des Petits Champs_, (within two minutes walk of the Royal Library,)
where we were to assemble, at five o'clock. I knew that Millin would put my
toasts or sentiments into good French, and so I took courage against the
hour of meeting. I had secured a ground-floor apartment, looking upon a
lawn, with which it communicated by open doors. The day was unusually hot
and oppressive. After finishing my labours at the Royal Library, I returned
to my hotel, arranged my little matters connected with the by-play of the
festival--dressed--and resorted to Grignon's. Every thing looked well and
auspiciously. Our room was in the shade; and a few lingering breezes seemed
to play beneath the branches of an acacia. The dark green bottles, of
various tapering shapes, were embedded in pails of ice, upon the table: and
napkins and other goodly garniture graced the curiously woven cloth. I hung
up, in the simplicity of my heart--over the seat which I was to occupy,--
the portrait of _John King of France_, which M. Coeure had just finished;--
not considering that this said John had been beaten and taken prisoner, at
the battle of Poictiers by our Black Prince! Never was a step more
injudicious, or