Romantic Feelings of Lady C---- --True Love--Disagreeable Neighbours--Credulity--Mademoiselle Delphine Gay--French Novels--French Critics--Eligible Mansions--Comforts of Seclusion--Genius of L.E.L.--The Comtesse d'O---- --A Brilliant Talker--Letter from Mrs. Hare--Extreme Hospitality--Longchamps--Exhibition of Spring Fashions--French Beauties--Animated Scene--Promenade at Longchamps--Extravagance of Mademoiselle Duthé--Modern Morals--_Cinq Mars_, by Comte Alfred de Vigny--His Style--Strictures on Mankind--The best Philosophy--Speech of Lord Grey--The Caterpillar--A Voracious Appetite--A Refined Lady--_La Chronique du temps de Charles IX_, by Prosper Merimée--Estimation of Sir Walter Scott--Jules Janin--Injudicious Praise--Renewal of Youth--Self-Deception--Grey Hairs, 194. CHAPTER XVIII. Victor Hugo's _Dernier Jour d'un Condamné_--Value of Common Sense--Conscience--Cunning--Curiosity Shops on the Quai d'Orsay--Expensive and Tasteful Gifts--An Avaricious Vender--A Moral--Anonymous Scribbler--Weakness of Mind--Poems of Mrs. Hemans--The Minds of Genius--Poetesses of England--Arrival of Lord D---- --The Catholic Question carried--Irish prejudices--Letters from Absent Friends--Sir William Gell--The Archbishop of Tarentum--Discoveries at Pompeii--Novel of _The Disowned_--Advantages to be derived from the Perusal of Works of Fiction--Politics--Charles the Tenth unpopular--Charles the First--The House of Bourbon--"Uneasy lies the Head that wears a Crown"--The Duc de T---- --Mr. Hook's _Sayings and Doings_--_Visit to the Hotel Monaco_, 207. CHAPTER XIX. A new Resilience--Consolation in Sickness--House in the Rue de Matignon--Its Interior described--The Library--Drive in the Bois de Boulogne--Atmospheric Influence--The Rocher de Cancale--A _Diner de Restaurant--_A Gay Sight--Good Taste in Dress innate in Frenchwomen--Well-appointed Carriages--Soldier-like Air of the Male Population--Observation of the Emperor Napoleon--Characteristics of the British Soldier--National Anthem--Changes in the Journey of Life--Captain Marryat's _Naval Officer_--Performance of _La Tour d'Auvergne_--Letter of Carnot--Distinction awarded to Merit by Napoleon--National Glory--Effect of Enthusiasm--Villa of the Duchesse de Montmorency--Residences on the Banks of the Thames--Bagatelle, the Seat of the Duc de Bordeaux--Earthly Happiness--Domestic Alterations--High Rents at Paris--Terrace and Aviary--Unsettled Slate, 219. CHAPTER XX.