. . . . . . . . . . . . . “... It is perfectly true that Her Majesty, on hearing from Mérimée himself that I was to pass through Paris, did me the honour of inviting me to dine at St. Cloud last Wednesday, which of course I did. I am not, however, so conceited as to suppose that Her Majesty, who knows me very little, asked me in consequence of that slight knowledge of me; no doubt she asked me out of kindness to Mérimée. We had a most agreeable party on that day. The Empress was kind, more than I can express, both at dinner and after, when the ladies and gentlemen who had dined, accompanied by several carriages (she driving her mother) went to see a new contrivance to run carriages on a railway (of which I understood nothing). We returned to St. Cloud about 11 o’clock by bye-lanes without any escort whatever, and in the most private manner. The Emperor, who was to arrive on that day, not having come, the Empress most gracefully said that Mérimée and I must wait for him, and dine again yesterday, which we did. He was uncommonly gracious and friendly; owing to a mistake, we arrived long before the dinner hour; we walked in the garden, Her Majesty, and Mérimée, as well as myself, till dinner time; then, after dinner, he called me to a private room and we had a long conversation, during which he encouraged me to speak out, and I did so. The conclusion was an invitation to Biarritz. I was most struck with the Prince Imperial. He is a handsome, intelligent, charming boy; he speaks English just as well as you do....” This chapter may close with part of a letter from Panizzi to Mr. Gladstone, wherein he appears to give the result of his visit to Biarritz, and of his conversations with the Emperor Napoleon. Much of the provocation stated by the writer to have been given to His Majesty it is difficult to deny; but those who have studied the subject, or retain any memory of the circumstances of the time, will agree that the conduct of the Emperor himself was the chief source of all those accusations, true or false, which were brought against him. “British Museum, November 3rd, 1862.