Good progress was making also in France; the Revolution, so disastrous in many respects, having at least removed from his office the chief opponent of postal reform, M. Dubost. On June 21st I learnt from M. Grasset, my former correspondent, that he had laid before a committee of the National Assembly, with my friend M. St. Priest as president, a proposal for a low uniform rate, payable by means of stamps. Unfortunately he did not propose to make any distinction of charge between letters prepaid and post-paid. On this modification which he had made in my plan my correspondent prided himself as the simplest system in the world. I could not but acknowledge, however, that, even in spite of his modification, the proposed change would be a vast improvement on the actual rates. The Report of the committee, drawn up by "Citizen St. Priest," recommended a considerable reduction in the charge for postage. "_August 26th._--The _Times_ of this morning states that the bill for the establishment of the twopenny rate passed the National Assembly on the 24th." By this Act money prepayment was forbidden, but as nothing was gained by prepayment in stamps, the inducement to use stamps seemed but weak, so that the economy involved therein was likely to be but small. Experience showed the error, and the post-paid rate was afterwards increased, I think, as with us, to a double amount. My friend M. Piron obligingly sent me a sheet of the new French postage stamps, the image on which was a female head, symbolical of the French Republic. The confusion of the revolutionary period seemed to be whimsically exemplified in the fact that, of the three hundred heads on the sheet, several were inverted. This packet I received just before the close of the year. A few days later I have the following entry:-- "_January 13th, 1849._--M. Thayer, the present head of the Post Office in France, called, as he said, to see the father of their improved Post Office system; he is new to his duties, and therefore not very familiar with details, but he seems hopeful. He proposes to exchange papers connected with the departments. He walked with crutches, having been shot in the foot in attacking barricades in June." M. Thayer, I may remark, informed me that he was of English extraction, referring me, for confirmation of his statement, to Thayer Street, Manchester Square. _Belgium._