A visit from Count F----, one of the most agreeable and respectable representatives of Napoleon's time, who carried into the Imperial Court 'les souvenirs de l'ancien regime,' and into the present one the reputation of spotless integrity and fidelity, (a most rare instance!)--here interrupted me. He came to invite me to dinner to-morrow. This has detained me:--it is too late to ride; I am not in the humour to seek Club society: I shall put on a second dressing-gown, dream about you and M----, read over your letters, and patiently freeze in my room,--for more than eight degrees of heat I find it impossible to procure by means of an open fire in my airy and many-windowed room.--'Au revoir,' then. _February 10th._ It was fair that I should indemnify myself to-day for my confinement to my room, so I wandered about in the neighbourhood for many hours. I enjoyed my freedom the more, as I was to execute myself in the evening at a great subscription ball. The country all around is certainly very remarkable; for in a four hours ride I did not see a single full-grown tree. Yet the numerous hills, the large town in the distance, several smaller ones scattered about, the sea and ships--all under rapidly changing lights, sufficiently diversified the landscape; and even the contrast with the generally well-wooded character of England was not without its charms. The sun at length retired to rest incognito, the sky cleared, and the moon rose cloudless and brilliant over the waters. I now turned my horse's head from the hills down to the sea, and rode five or six miles, about the distance to Brighton, hard on the edge of the waves along the sandy shore. The tide was coming in, and my horse sometimes shyed when a wave, crowned with snowy foam, rolled under his feet and quickly retreated as if in sport. I love nothing better than to ride alone by moonlight on the wide shore,--alone with the plashing and roaring and murmuring of the waves;--so near to the mysterious deep, that my horse can only be kept within reach of its rolling waters by force, and as soon as his rein is loosened darts away with redoubled speed towards the firm land.