lasses, as
it is so beautifully described by a poet of my acquaintance, (the Sieur
Lebrun himself.) I hope the same accident won't happen to us that befell
the bird-catcher in the fable. It is for you to be on your guard, if you
enter into such amusements; for love keeps constantly prowling in the
scenes frequented by the Graces. We are, therefore, in safety here, in
spite of his wings. We expect the family of M. and Madame Grimod at the
beginning of next month. They have charged me to invite you to come, and
take your place on the famous jonquil sofa. They send you a thousand
compliments, and expect you early next month. We have half made up our
minds to go and see the king hunt at St Hubert. Adieu, my dear little
man! I embrace you with all my heart. Write me immediately. My respects
to the ladies, and a thousand remembrances to M. le Comte de Turpin, and
M. le Comte de Brancas. Tell him that I was highly flattered by his
indignation, though it was altogether unjust. We return you your
brilliant 'epistle.' We have answered it with a song; don't lose it. The
invalid (Julia) sends you a lot of messages."

Poetry itself was employed by the Dame Lebrun to paint the feelings with
which her husband had the happiness to inspire her.

The proofs brought of this latter assertion are very convincing; but
before we give extracts from the poetical declarations of her connubial
bliss, let us see what a curious insight this gives us, into the style
of life among French poetasters and their wives in the middle of last
century. We have seen that the irate Lebrun had a settled income of
about a hundred and eighty pounds a-year, equal, with little pickings
and stealings, to perhaps three hundred pounds at the present time. His
wife, evidently a clever, brisk coquette, sends friendly messages to two
of the first nobles in France, the Count de Turpin and the Count de
Brancas, and in the house of the latter nobleman the Sieur Lebrun is
domiciled at the time she writes. In the meanwhile, she is spending
months at a time in the country mansion of the too fascinating Grimod,
whom we have presented to the reader as a sub-collector of taxes. A
sub-collector of taxes! Wait till the next payments are due for the
income-tax, and watch the countenance of the respectable individual who
will give you his receipt. Is that a man to awake jealousy in the soul
of Pindar, or get up private theatricals, or even take a prominent part
in an acted charade?