The Prince de Ligne--His Wit and his Urbanity--Robinson Crusoe --The Masked Ball and Rout--Sovereigns in Dominos--The Emperor of Russia and the Prince Eugène--Kings and Princes --Zibin--General Tettenborn--A Glance at his Military Career--Grand Military Fête in Honour of Peace--The Footing of Intimacy of the Sovereigns at the Congress--The Imperial Palace--Death of Queen Maria Carolina of Naples--Emperor Alexander--Anecdotes--Sovereign Gifts--Politics and Diplomacy--The Grand Rout--The Waltz. Speaking of the Great Wall of China, the famous Dr. Johnson said somewhere that the grandson of a man who had caught a mere glimpse of it might still be proud of the opportunity vouchsafed to his grandsire. The exaggeration, Oriental like its subject, might strike me as excusable if the drift of it were applied, not to a monument capable of standing the test of ages, but to one of those men who appear at long intervals, or in connection with events that change the face of the world. Personally, I may confess to remaining more or less proud of my presence at the Congress of Vienna, and of having been privileged to see the many celebrities that forgathered there. But the most gratifying recollection, and also the one dearest to my heart, is that of the goodwill incessantly shown to me by the Prince de Ligne. For over two months I had the happiness of being admitted to his greatest intimacy, seeing him every day and at all hours, gathering from his lips the clever sentences and spontaneous sallies which he so lavishly dispensed. To-day, after many years, the indelible impression of his personality tends to reanimate my recollections, and lends life to the scenes I am endeavouring to reproduce. The Prince de Ligne[15] was then in his eightieth year; in spite of this there is no exaggeration in saying that he had remained young. He had preserved the amiable character and the fascinating urbanity which had lent so much charm to his society. Hence the title of ‘the last of French knights’ was unanimously accorded to him.