r than she. She
was a great friend of the Princess Belgiojoso, and during the stirring
times of 1848 the Princess had been a frequent visitor in her salon.
Six years younger than the Princess, the Countess threw herself heart
and soul into the political and literary life of Milan.

"For fifty-two consecutive years (1834-1886) her salon was the
rendezvous not merely of her compatriots but of intellectual
Europe. The list of celebrities who thronged her modest
drawing-room rivals that of Belgiojoso's Parisian salon, and
includes many of the same immortal names. Daniel Stern, Balzac,
Manzoni, Liszt, Verdi, and a score of others, are of international
fame; but the annuals of Italian patriotism, belles-lettres and
art teem with the names of men and women who, during that half
century of uninterrupted hospitality, sought guidance, inspiration
and intellectual entertainment among the politicians, poets,
musicians and wits who congregated round the hostess."[*]

[*] W. R. Whitehouse, _A Revolutionary Princess_.

Balzac arrived in Milan in February, 1837, was well received, and was
invited to the famous salon of Countess Maffei. The novelist was at
once charmed with his hostess, whom he called _la petite Maffei_, and
for whom he soon began to show a tender friendship which later became
blended with affection.

Unfortunately Balzac did not like Milan; only the fascination of
the Countess Maffei pleased him. He quarreled with the Princess
San-Severino Porcia, who would not allow him to say anything unkind
about Italy, and was depressed when calling on the Princess Bolognini,
who laughed at him for it.

In the salon of the Countess Maffei the novelist preferred listening
to talking; occasionally he would break out into sonorous laughter,
and would then listen again, and--in spite of his excessive use of
coffee--would fall asleep. The Countess was often embarrassed by
Balzac's disdainful expressions about people he did not like but who
were her friends. She tried to please him, however and had many of her
French-speaking friends to meet him, but he seemed most to enjoy tea
with her alone. Referring to her age, he wrote in her album: "At
twenty-three years of age, all is in the future."

After Balzac's return to Paris he asked her, in response to one of her
letters, to please ascertain why the Princess San-Severino was angry
with him. Later he showed his appreciation of her kindness by sending
her the c